MONROVIA – Day two of the preliminary hearing in the Capitol Building arson case against former Speaker J. Fonati Koffa and four other lawmakers unfolded at the Monrovia City Court on Wednesday, June 11, 2024, with prosecutors admitting in open court that their only evidence linking the accused to the fire incident comes from social media sources.
Prosecutors, however, failed to specify which social media platforms or posts formed the basis of their case, raising eyebrows among legal observers and the defense team.
Following the proceedings, former Speaker Koffa addressed reporters in the courtyard of the Temple of Justice. Responding to questions about the day’s developments, Koffa did not mince words.
“Let me simplify this,” he began. “My tort professor in second-year law school always said: ‘Laws are common sense. If it doesn’t make sense, it’s probably not legal.’”
Koffa questioned the logic of the prosecution’s narrative and pointed to multiple flaws. He noted that the state’s witness admitted under oath that evidence, such as plastic containers allegedly used to transport gasoline, was discovered outside the building where the fire occurred. “They wasted the gasoline in the building, lit it, ran outside with the evidence, and threw it in the yard? That doesn’t make sense,” he said.
He further argued that the prosecution attempted to sidestep the fact that the police were in control of the Capitol Building at the time of the incident. “You cannot avoid trying this case without bringing the police in as potential co-conspirators if this is to be taken seriously,” Koffa added.
The former Speaker also downplayed the relevance of audio recordings prosecutors referenced, suggesting the recordings merely captured routine conversations between himself and fellow lawmakers Abu Kamara and Jacob Debee. “We speak almost every day about legislative matters. That’s normal. To use a recording of me being at the president’s house and link it to an arson case is ridiculous,” he said.
Koffa described the evidence presented so far as “a disaster” and said he was “truly disappointed” by the prosecution’s lack of concrete proof. “The good thing is, they didn’t take as many bathroom breaks today,” he said wryly, before leaving the courthouse alongside co-defendants Representatives Abu Bana Kamara, Jacob Debee, Dixon Seboe, and Thomas Goshua.
Defense lawyers, including Jonathan Massaquoi, were seen escorting the accused out of the court after the session adjourned.
The case, which stems from a fire that damaged parts of the Capitol Building on December 18, 2025, has gripped the country due to the high-profile nature of the defendants. With the prosecution relying heavily on vague and publicly available content, legal analysts say the case may struggle to survive the rigors of a full trial.
Preliminary proceedings are expected to continue in the coming days as the court weighs whether there is sufficient evidence to proceed to trial.
