Damages inflicted on the Capitol during the December 18, 2024, arson attack have been put at more than US$3 million, according to the Grand Jury of Montserrado County, Liberia.
By Lincoln G. Peters
Monrovia, Liberia; July 3, 2025 – The Grand Jury of Montserrado County has officially indicted former House Speaker Cllr. Jonathan Fonati Koffa and fourteen others in connection with the December 18, 2024, arson attack on the Capitol Building, while putting losses and damages at Three Million Seven Hundred, Eighty-Eight Thousand, Five Hundred United States Dollars (US$3,788,500.00).
The indictment was read and served on the defendants on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, by Judge Roosevelt Willie of Criminal Court “A” at the Temple of Justice, following its filing by the Grand Jury of Montserrado County.
Legally, the indictment has paved the way for trial proceedings during the August Term of Court before Criminal Court “A.”
Those indicted by the state include Kivi Bah alias “Kaba,” Jerry Pokah, alias “Tyrese,” Stephen M. Broh, John Nyanti, Representatives Dixon W. Seboe, J. Fonati Koffa, and Abu B. Kamara; Patience Bestman, Harrilyn Grace Johnson, Jacob C. Deebie, Christian Kofa, Amos Kofa, Eric Susay, and Thomas Isaac Etheridge—along with others yet to be identified.
The state indicted the defendants for the alleged crime on multiple charges of Criminal Attempt to Commit Murder, Criminal Mischief, Criminal Conspiracy, Criminal Facilitation, Criminal Solicitation, Release of Destructive Forces, Reckless Burning or Exploding, and Recklessly Endangering another person’s life.
According to the Grand Jury indictment, the named defendants and others to be identified, committed the crimes of Arson, a felony of the second degree, Criminal Attempt to Commit Murder, a felony of the second degree, Criminal Mischief, Criminal Conspiracy, a felony of the second degree, Criminal Solicitation, a felony of the second degree, Release of Destructive Forces, a felony of the second degree, Reckless Burning or Exploding, a felony of the third degree; Criminal Facilitation, a felony of the third degree, and Recklessly Endangering Another Person, a misdemeanor of the first degree to wit:
The indictment further stated that with the support and facilitation of Co-Defendants Dixon W. Seboe, J. Fonati Koffa, Abu B. Kamara, and Jacob C Dechie, the co-defendants Kivi Bah alias Kaba, Jerry Pokah alias Tyrese, John Nyanti, Stephen M. Broh, Christian Kofa, Amos Kofa, Eric Sesay, Janjay, Thomas Isaac Etheridge, AKA Tom, and others to be identified purposely set ablaze the joint chambers of the Capitol Building.
The State disclosed that, as if that were not enough, after the defendants and co-defendants committed this devilish act, they took a pen and paper and wrote, explaining to Dixon W. Seboe how and why the co-defendants intentionally set the Capitol Building ablaze.
The Grand jury notes that defendant Kevi Bah alias Kaba, while still narrating in the letter to Representative Seboe how he and co-defendants intentionally burnt the Capitol Building, they also stated in the letter that during the night hours of December 17, 2024, they and co-defendants had a discussion around a used car parking lot, located opposite CONEX Gas station, on Jallah Town Road.
Also, defendant Kevi Bah, alias Kaba, said that during that discussion, Representative Seboe and co-defendants finally agreed to burn the Capitol Building on December 18, 2024.
“Further, that on the same December 17, 2024 during the morning time at 0500hrs, after you and your co-defendants have conspired and planned all night, you all agreed and co-defendant Christian Kofa and other co-defendants went and got gasoline, and set ablaze the joint chambers of the Capitol Building, and damaged chairs and cut electric and electronic wires in the joint chambers of the Capitol building, thus sustaining a loss of Three Million Seven Hundred Eighty-Eight Thousand Five Hundred United States Dollars (US$3,788,500.00)” the indictment noted.
Explaining further, the document points out that co-defendant Lesay, on the 17th day of December 2013, was on audio with Orange GSM SM number +2317 1397654, and making a call and telling co-defendant Feridge to receive gasoline to commence the arson attack on the Capitol Building.
“In another audio recording, you, Defendant Eric Susay, can be heard saying to your co-defendants that “We dirty the police officer (Sgt. Amara Bility), and left him lying on the street, and have taken his service weapon away and gave it to former EPS officers.” The indictment explained.
At the same time the state added that in the same audio recording of December 17, 2024, Defendant Eric Susay is heard complaining to co-defendant Thomas Isaac Etheridge, stating “You are calling co-defendant Janjay, but you are not getting him; also, that you are requesting co-defendant Thomas to come and give him money to purchase gasoline and prepare petrol bombs to be used on the police officers, Hon. James Kolleh of the majority group house in Congo Town, LRJ Hotel where the majority bloc meet and personal vehicles of the majority bloc.
The state narrated that during the same night of the planning process on December 17, 2024, co-defendants Amos Koffa and Thomas Etheridge are heard discussing on audio the execution of the operation, which includes putting men in position to participate in the burning of the Capital Building, and to “shoot any police officer who will try to stop you.”
Furthermore, in the same audio conversation on December 17, 2024, co-defendant Amos is heard asking Thomas Etheridge whether “he saw the materials to be used in the burning of the Capitol Building in the building.”
“Further, that you Defendant Amos Koffa called co-Defendant Thomas Etheridge on December 18, 2024 and confirmed to him that the Capitol Building was on fire, while still on the line, co-defendant Thomas Etheridge directed you Defendant Amos Kofa to go to Hon. J. Fonati Koffa’s house opposite former vice president Jewel Howard Taylor’s residence, behind YWCA building in Congo Town”, the indictment indicated.
Meanwhile, the State continues that Defendants Thomas Etheridge and Amos Koffa, during their planning of this wicked act, can also be heard saying “We will use tear gas and chlorine in the joint chambers to dislodge lawmakers from the majority bloc so that they do not have access to the joint Chamber for the session.
“Co-Defendants Harrilyn Grace Johnson and Patience Bestman, who are part of the social media chatroom of Co-Defendant J. Fornati Koffa’s office, had knowledge of the planning and execution of the destruction of the Capitol Building and actively conspired to conceal evidence relating thereto contained on Co-Defendant Thomas Isaac Etheridge’s phone.” The indictment concluded. Editing by Jonathan Browne
