MONROVIA – The Liberia National Police (LNP) has formally charged former House Speaker J. Fonati Koffa and four other lawmakers in connection with the December 2024 arson attack on the Capitol Building, the seat of the nation’s Legislature. Those charged include Representatives Dixon W. Seboe, Jacob Debee, Abu Kamara, and Priscilla A. Cooper. All five are currently detained at the LNP Headquarters as the investigation nears its final stage.
According to Police Inspector General Gregory Coleman, the lawmakers face charges related to aiding and abetting the deliberate burning of the Capitol Building, which sustained extensive damage estimated at over $8 million USD. Coleman emphasized that the police have conducted one of the most thorough investigations in recent history, citing the volume of evidence gathered. “Let the jurors decide,” he stated, hinting that the case is now ready for judicial review.
In contrast, the police say Representatives Marvin Cole and Frank Saah Foko, who were also summoned as persons of interest, have been exonerated. The investigation, according to the police, found no evidence linking either lawmaker to the crime.
The arson attack took place in December 2024 amid intense political turbulence following the removal of then-Speaker Koffa. The fire, which engulfed key sections of the Capitol Building, sparked national outrage and prompted a high-profile criminal investigation.
The decision to summon and subsequently charge the lawmakers was made public on Thursday, June 6, 2025, after a letter signed by Inspector General Coleman was read during the regular session of the House of Representatives by Chief Clerk Mildred Siryon. The police cited the lawmakers’ affiliation with the former ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) and declared them persons of interest in what is now seen as a politically sensitive case.
