The legal team representing former Speaker, Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa and thirteen other co-defendants—three of whom are sitting lawmakers—has formally objected to a court order mandating medical examinations at the government-run John F. Kennedy Medical Center (JFK). The defense instead filed a motion requesting an independent medical examination, alleging that several of the defendants were subjected to torture and abuse while in the custody of state security agencies.
The dispute arose after Criminal Court ‘A’ Judge Roosevelt Willie ordered JFK to medically assess six of the detained defendants to determine whether they had been tortured or sodomized during their time in National Security Agency (NSA) custody. The judge’s order stemmed from the defendants’ claims that key evidence—such as NSA phone call logs—had been extracted through coercion and abuse.
“The Court realized that there is one ground that is factual, and that ground is torture and sodomization,” Judge Willie stated. “So, the Court decided not to do the ruling today but to find out through medical investigation as to whether the defendants were tortured.”
He then directed the court clerk to liaise with JFK, via the Monrovia Central Prison, to conduct the medical examination and report findings to the Court by Tuesday, September 9, 2025.
However, the defense lawyers objected to the court’s reliance on JFK, citing its affiliation with the Government of Liberia and a formal memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Justice to provide medical services for pretrial detainees and prisoners. They argued that such a relationship creates a conflict of interest and undermines the credibility of any medical assessment conducted by JFK.
In their motion, the defense described the alleged mistreatment of their clients as “egregious,” asserting that several of the accused have suffered persistent medical issues—particularly painful urination and reddish urine—since their detention at NSA headquarters. They also cited reports of blurred vision, allegedly caused by the use of intense lighting during interrogations.
“These symptoms,” the motion reads, “are not only indicative of urinary tract infection and ocular trauma but are consistent with the effects of severe beatings and waterboarding inflicted by agents of the NSA and Liberia National Police.”
The lawyers further argued that failure to immediately provide medical care from an independent team could result in irreversible damage or even death, in violation of the defendants’ constitutional rights.
“If they are not properly medically examined or treated by a team of independent medical practitioners other than the government-owned JFK Hospital,” the lawyers warned, “their infections and appalling conditions could graduate to a more severe case that could lead to their deaths, contrary to law.”
“No Confidence” in State-Affiliated Medical Institutions
The defense motion underscored their clients’ lack of trust in any medical investigation carried out by a government agency or affiliate.
“The Government of Liberia, through the Ministry of Justice and the National Security Agency, is prosecuting this Capitol Building arson case. As such, JFK—being a parastatal of the government—is not clothed with the requisite independence to conduct this medical examination,” the motion stated.
The lawyers urged the court to grant “compassion and humanitarian consideration” and authorize the immediate transfer of the defendants to an independent medical facility for evaluation and treatment. They added that the accused are currently unfit for continued pretrial detention due to their deteriorating medical condition, and that visible scars and bruises on their bodies corroborate their claims of abuse.
As of press time, the prosecution has not responded to the defense’s motion for an independent medical examination. The defense continues to emphasize the urgency of their request, arguing that the alleged torture represents a grave human rights violation that demands swift and impartial medical review.
