Monrovia – Former House Speaker Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa and three sitting members of the House of Representatives were remanded to the Monrovia Central Prison on Saturday following their appearance at the Monrovia City Court on multiple charges linked to the December 2024 fire at the Capitol Building.
By Willie N. Tokpah
Alongside Koffa, Representatives Dixon Seboe, Abu Kamara, Prescilla Cooper, and Jacob Debee II face a range of charges, including arson, criminal mischief, reckless endangerment, attempted murder, criminal facilitation, and conspiracy.
FrontPage Africa gathered that Rep. Cooper appeared visibly shaken during the court proceedings and was not among the lawmakers taken into temporary detention. It remains unclear whether she was released on bail, as no pleas were entered during the preliminary hearing.
The court has yet to rule on bail, and proceedings are expected to continue in the coming days.
At a press conference on June 6, Police Inspector General Gregory Coleman alleged that the five lawmakers provided financial and logistical support for the attack, which occurred amid a heated leadership crisis within the House of Representatives.
The fire, which damaged one wing of the Capitol, erupted during a period of heightened tensions between ruling and opposition lawmakers. Seven lawmakers were initially questioned; two were released without charge, while the remaining five were detained overnight and escorted to court under tight security.
The case has sparked widespread debate over due process and potential political motivations. On Friday, leading opposition figures condemned the incarceration of the lawmakers and called for the rule of law to prevail.
