MONROVIA – Political leader of the opposition Alternative National Congress (ANC), Alexander Cummings, has welcomed the release on bond of five lawmakers accused in connection with the December 2024 Capitol Building fire, emphasizing that the matter is about more than individual guilt and is about upholding Liberia’s constitutional principles.
In a statement issued shortly after the release of former House Speaker J. Fonati Koffa and four other legislators from the Monrovia Central Prison on Monday, June 9, 2025, Cummings praised the legal process that led to their freedom, calling it “good news.” The lawmakers had been charged and jailed pending investigation into allegations that they masterminded the blaze that destroyed critical infrastructure at the Capitol and caused over $8.6 million in damages.
“Our actions over the last few days aren’t just about Fonati Koffa and others; it’s about something bigger: the rule of law, due process, and fair treatment for all citizens, regardless of political alignment,” Cummings wrote.
He reminded the public that under the Liberian Constitution, every individual is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Cummings stressed that while the courts must decide guilt or innocence, the accused must not be subjected to public humiliation or unequal treatment. He criticized what he called “selective enforcement,” noting that while a Unity Party lawmaker was released directly into her lawyers’ custody, opposition lawmakers were “paraded and punished before trial.”
“There’s no need for public embarrassment,” he added, warning against a system that punishes some while shielding others. “Justice must be consistent.”
Defending the right of the opposition to raise concerns about government actions, Cummings asserted that questioning weekend arrests and politically charged optics is not a defense of wrongdoing, but a call for fairness. “That’s not bitterness, that’s democracy,” he state
He concluded by reaffirming the ANC’s commitment to justice, accountability, and equality. “If a crime was committed, let the law take its course. But let’s do it right, without double standards, without theatrics, and with respect for every citizen’s rights,” Cummings said. “The ANC is where ‘Everybody is Somebody.’”
