Lawyers representing former House Speaker Cllr. Jonathan Fonati Koffa, colleagues, and others have rejected a medical checkup and examination proposed by Criminal Court “A” judge Roosevelt Z. Willie, arguing that the defendants risk potential death if not medically examined independently.
By Lincoln G. Peters
Monrovia, September 9, 2025: The defendant’s schedule for medical treatment and examination includes Christian Kofa, John Nyanti, Eric Susay, Thomas Isaac, Thomas Etheridge, and Stephen Broh, all of whom are co-defendants in the Capitol Building arson case.
They were charged for the alleged commission of the crimes: Arson, Criminal Mischief, Criminal Conspiracy, Criminal Solicitation, Criminal Intent to commit murder, Aggravated Assault, Illegal Possession of a Firearm, Release of destructive Forces, recklessly endangering another person & Theft of Property, now pending before this Court, undetermined.
The defense motion for an independent medical checkup is in reaction to the Criminal Court “A” Judge Willie’s recent decision proposing a medical checkup for the defendants at the John F. Kennedy Medical Hospital to establish or not the allegation of sodomy, torture, and other medical complications as alleged in their motion to suppress the evidence submitted by the prosecution.
During the hearing, the defense partially accepted the judge’s decision. It stated for the record that they would have preferred an independent medical examination, treatment, and evaluation of the defendants.
Predicated upon their argument, the defense on Monday, September 8, 2025, filed a motion for Independent Medical Examination saying that if the defendants are not properly medically examined or treated by a team of independent medical practitioners other than the government owned John F. Kennedy Medical Hospital, their infections and appalling conditions could degenerate into a more severe case that could lead to their deaths, contrary to law.
The defense in their motion to suppress the evidence submitted by the prosecution alleged that the defendants were egregiously tortured by Agents of the National Security Agency (NSA) and Liberia National Police (LNP) at the Headquarters of the NSA and, as a result, for the past months, the Movants have been experiencing severe pain when urinating.
Furthermore, the defense argued that due to these egregious human rights abuses and violations against their persons by State security apparatus, they do not have confidence and trust in related government agencies to perform any medical examination for reasons stated herein.
According to the defense, the defendants likewise have the reddish color of their urine, adding that those Agents flashed bright lights in their faces, which caused them blurred vision, is found wanting and evil.
The defense in their motion further indicated that their clients’ conditions are not only symptoms of urinary tract infection and blurred vision, but the consequence of the severe beating and waterboarding being perpetrated against their persons by those Agents of the NSA and LNP is in gross violation of their fundamental rights as guaranteed by the 1986 Constitution of Liberia.
“If they are not properly medically examined or treated by a team of independent medical practitioners other than the government-owned John F. Kennedy Medical Hospital, their infections and appalling conditions could graduate to a more severe case that could lead to their deaths, contrary to the law. Furthermore, the Movants say that due to these egregious human rights abuses and violations against their persons by State security apparatus, they do not have confidence and trust in related government agencies to perform any medical examination for reasons stated herein,” the defense argued.
The defense in their motion said that the government, through the Ministry of Justice and the National Security Agency, is prosecuting this Capitol Building arson case, and, as such, the John F. Kennedy Medical Hospital, as a parastatal of the government, is not clothed with the requisite independence to conduct this medical examination.
The Movants argued that they are unfit for further pretrial detention because of medical reasons, as the judge and the Court will see from the bruises and scars on their person in substantiation of their claims against the State and its parastatals, amongst others.
“Hence, this Motion for Independent Medical Examination will lie under the given circumstances. Wherefore and in view of the foregoing peculiar facts and legal circumstances, the Movants pray your Honor and this Honorable Court for a judgment declaring as follows to writ.” They noted. -Edited by Othello B. Garblah.
