By Jerromie S. Walters
Monrovia, – Monrovia City Court Judge Ben Barco has rejected the prosecution’s request to revoke the bail of former House Speaker Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa and three fellow lawmakers—Representatives Dixon W. Seboe, Abu B. Kamara, and Jacob C. Debee.
The decision follows a contentious bond justification hearing on Tuesday, June 24, where Koffa presented his daughters, Jonda Janet Koffa and Marjan Mona Koffa, as sureties for a US$1.8 million property bond. The hearing was mandated by Criminal Court “A” to assess the validity of the defendants’ combined US$2.24 million bail package, initially approved without scrutiny on June 9.
The prosecution had challenged the sufficiency of the bond, labeling it “bogus and worthless” and questioning the credibility of the sureties. State lawyers cited Sections 63.1, 63.2, and 63.6 of Liberia’s Civil Procedure Law and the Supreme Court ruling in Griffith v. Wadan, arguing the defendants “failed flatly and miserably” to justify their release terms.
In defense, Koffa’s legal team leaned on precedents like Jimmy Sumo, 37 LLR, emphasizing constitutional protections for the accused. Jonda Janet Koffa, General Manager of United Command Inc., testified under oath, confirming her role as a surety and her familial ties to co-surety Marjan Mona Koffa. The defense successfully moved to admit both oral and documentary evidence into the record.
The defendants face charges tied to the December 18, 2024 arson attack on the Capitol Building, which prosecutors allege was orchestrated to disrupt legislative proceedings. However, critics decry the case as politically motivated, noting its timing—filed weeks after Koffa’s removal as Speaker and the new Unity Party administration’s rise to power.
