MONROVIA – Former Speaker of the House of Representatives Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa and four other lawmakers are spending their first night in detention at the Liberia National Police (LNP) Headquarters following formal charges linking them to the arson attack that severely damaged the Capitol Building in December 2024. Police Inspector General Gregory Coleman announced that Representatives Koffa, Dixon Seboe, Abu Kamara, Priscilla Cooper, and Jacob Debee have been charged with multiple offenses, including arson, criminal facilitation, and criminal attempt to commit murder. Authorities say they will be forwarded to court within 48 hours.
According to the LNP, the lawmakers played significant roles in financially and logistically supporting the destruction of a national symbol of democracy. Inspector General Coleman stated that their involvement was uncovered during what he described as one of the most comprehensive investigations in the department’s history. The fire is estimated to have caused over $8 million in damages, and Coleman emphasized that justice would be pursued regardless of political affiliation, warning that Liberia has entered an era where impunity will no longer be tolerated.
Meanwhile, the police have cleared Representatives Marvin Cole and Frank Saah Foko of any involvement, citing a lack of substantial evidence. However, requests by legal counsel for the temporary release of the five detained lawmakers were denied by the LNP. This has triggered a wave of legal and political backlash, as legal experts argue that under Liberian law, the police have no authority to continue detaining charged individuals without a court order. Chapter 13 of the Criminal Procedure Law and Article 21(f) of the Constitution emphasize the presumption of innocence and due process, including the requirement for court jurisdiction once charges are filed.
Criticism of the arrests has been fierce. Matthew Nyanplu, a well-known critic of the Boakai administration, condemned the detentions as politically motivated. “The arrest and incarceration of Hon. Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa and others is disgraceful showboating,” he wrote. “When they get tired, they will release them. This is Oldman Boakai’s continuous disgraceful leadership performance on display. We are not moved!” Nyanplu further accused the police of selective justice: “You are cherry-picking law enforcement. Richard Koon impersonated as Speaker from November 21, 2024, until he was elected on May 13, 2025. He faced no consequences. This is the kind of conduct that leads to division and unrest.” He also referenced the case of Dorr Cooper, stating, “Dorr Cooper stole a degree from the University of Liberia through a criminal scheme. The degree was revoked and he was recommended for prosecution. He held his job until this week and was given a voluntary resignation offer. They believe we are stupid!”
Another voice, businessman George B. Kailondo, came to the defense of Rep. Priscilla Cooper, who is among the five lawmakers detained. “Our country is getting interesting. You charge Hon. Cooper for issuing a press release on November 11th, and the Joint Chambers got gutted with fire on December 18th when state securities were in charge of the Capitol Building. Hon. Cooper is the sacrificial lamb of the ruling establishment. She is charged so that it can’t be seen that only opposition lawmakers were arrested,” Kailondo said. “Article 42 protects her. We are not deterred by the charges. We will prove in court that she is 100% innocent.”
The Liberia National Police has yet to explain its legal rationale for continuing to detain the lawmakers after formally charging them. Critics argue that the police are overstepping their legal authority and turning a criminal case into a political standoff. Several civil society organizations have jointly condemned the continued detention, calling on the Ministry of Justice to act immediately. They insist that once charges are filed, the police must either release the accused or turn them over to the courts, in accordance with law.
The fire incident occurred during a bitter leadership contest within the House of Representatives. Since then, the police, with assistance from foreign forensic experts, have launched a wide-ranging investigation, including searches of lawmakers’ homes and phones. As political tensions rise, former CDC Representative Moses Acarous Gray has issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the police to release the detained lawmakers or face mass protest actions across the country.
Despite the public outcry and constitutional concerns, no court appearance had been scheduled as of Friday morning, and all five lawmakers remain in police custody. Former Speaker Koffa, unfazed, reportedly entered the LNP headquarters carrying a toothbrush, a symbolic gesture of defiance and readiness to sleep in jail. Legal teams are preparing to file urgent motions challenging what they describe as unlawful detention and are expected to seek a writ of habeas corpus in the coming days.
