-Following their recent release
By: G Bennie Bravo Johnson, I.
Former House Speaker Cllr. Jonathan Fonati Koffa and three lawmakers—Representatives Dixon Seboe, Abu Kamara, and Jacob Debee II— will appear in court tomorrow, following their recent release from the Monrovia Central Prison.
The four were remanded on serious charges including arson, criminal mischief, reckless endangerment, attempted murder, criminal facilitation, and conspiracy—all stemming from the December 2024 Capitol Building fire amid a major legislative crisis. Their release came prior to the finalization of a criminal appearance bond at the Monrovia City Court.
The release followed a closed-door meeting between high-ranking opposition figures and the City Court’s Stipendiary Magistrate Ben Barco. Among those present were former President George Weah, Margibi County Senator Nathaniel F. McGill, former Finance Minister Samuel D. Tweah, and CDC Secretary General Nora Finda Bondo.
Though details of the meeting were not publicly disclosed, sources suggest the discussions centered on filing a property bond, as no insurance company had agreed to underwrite the bond for the CDC-aligned lawmakers. Despite the postponement of legal arguments surrounding the bond, the court granted temporary release.
Under the Criminal Procedure Law of Liberia—specifically Chapter 13, Section 13.5—a person accused of a bailable offense must be granted bail before trial, except in capital offenses where the evidence is compelling. The law further mandates the filing of a criminal appearance bond as a prerequisite for pretrial release.
Meanwhile, credible judicial sources have confirmed that an indictment has already been drawn against Cllr. Koffa and the three lawmakers.
According to Liberian law, the indictment process begins with a police investigation followed by a review from the County Attorney. For serious crimes, the case is presented to a Grand Jury, which reviews the evidence in secrecy. If the Grand Jury finds probable cause, it returns a “True Bill,” officially indicting the accused. This process is designed to prevent arbitrary prosecution and ensure that only credible cases go to trial.
