– CDC Chairman Rallies Supporters To Assemble at Monrovia City Court Today
By Jerromie S. Walters
The opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) has accused the Unity Party-led government of political persecution after four of its lawmakers were detained following their voluntary appearance for police questioning. CDC Chairman Janga Kowo condemned the arrests as unlawful and warned that the government’s actions threaten Liberia’s fragile peace.
The CDC has mobilized its members and allied opposition parties to gather at the Monrovia City Court on Monday in solidarity with four detained lawmakers, including former House Speaker J. Fonati Koffa.
At a press conference on Saturday, CDC Chairman Janga Kowo denounced the arrests as politically motivated, labeling the lawmakers as “political prisoners.”
“The Unity Party government has crossed a dangerous red line by unlawfully incarcerating opposition lawmakers who voluntarily presented themselves at the police headquarters for questioning,” Kowo declared. The detained officials—Koffa, along with Representatives Dixon Wlawlee Seboe, Abu Bana Kamara, and Jacob Debee—were previously called for questioning but later detained in connection with the recent fire at the Capitol Building.
After being held overnight at the Liberia National Police headquarters, they were arraigned before Judge Ben Barco and remanded to Monrovia Central Prison.
In response to the detentions, Kowo led a protest to the prison but was himself arrested for allegedly obstructing justice. Viral videos showed him being forcibly handcuffed and shoved into a police vehicle before being briefly detained. He was later released.
“When we went to the prison in solidarity, the police manhandled me. I am wounded in several places as I speak to you now,” Kowo said Kowo alleged that the charges were part of a broader scheme by the ruling party to suppress opposition voices. “Even after coercing the Speaker to resign, illegally holding onto power for eight months, and vandalizing his office, the Unity Party is now inviting chaos,” he said.
Over the weekend, the CDC was among three other opposition parties that demanded the “immediate and unconditional release” of the four lawmakers detained by police amid an investigation into the Capitol Building fire, denouncing the government’s actions as a dangerous politicization of justice. The Alternative National Congress (ANC), Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), Movement for Economic Empowerment (MOVEE), and Citizens Movement for Change (CMC) issued a statement, accusing authorities of targeting opposition figures—Honorables J. Fonati Koffa, Dixon W. Seboe, Abu Kamara, and Jacob Debee II—without due process.
The lawmakers were held at the Liberia National Police (LNP) headquarters for nearly 12 hours on June 6, raising fears of imminent arrest in what the coalition called a “blatant abuse of power.” “The government’s actions are not only undemocratic but a direct threat to Liberia’s hard-won peace,” the statement read. “Detaining lawmakers who pose no flight risk, without formal charges, mirrors the oppressive tactics of past regimes.”
The opposition alliance warned that the prolonged detention of the lawmakers—reportedly in connection with the Capitol Building fire investigation—appeared timed to intimidate critics ahead of key political developments. They argued that while accountability is necessary, the probe must remain impartial and free from political interference. “Summoning lawmakers at dawn and holding them until nightfall, with clear intent to incarcerate them, is not justice—it is persecution,” the statement continued. “Liberia cannot afford to relapse into an era where the judiciary serves as a tool for silencing dissent.”
The parties, led by prominent figures including former President George Weah (CDC) and opposition leader Alexander Cummings (ANC), emphasized that their demand for the lawmakers’ release is “non-negotiable.” They cautioned that failure to comply could trigger widespread public backlash. “We remain committed to peace, but this must not be mistaken for weakness,” the statement asserted. “If the government continues down this path, the people will respond through all legal and democratic means.”
Amid all that has played in recent days, the former ruling Chairman reminds the government that the CDC’s peaceful concession in the 2023 elections—by a slim 17,000-vote margin—demonstrated its commitment to the rule of law. Kowo warned President Joseph Boakai, stating that Liberia’s stability depends on civility, not force. B“We have reached a point where the people must take their destiny into their own hands,” he declared, calling for a mass turnout at Monday’s court proceedings.
The CDC chairman concluded with a direct ultimatum:
“The safety of Speaker Koffa and the three lawmakers is now the government’s responsibility. We demand their immediate and unconditional release.”
