By: Staff Writer
MONROVIA – Former House Speaker Cllr. Fonati Koffa and three sitting lawmakers were released from prison on Monday, following two nights in detention. The release comes after the defendants secured a property bond valued at Four Hundred and Forty Thousand United States Dollars (US$440,000).
Alongside Koffa, Representatives Abu Kamara (Montserrado County), Dixon Seboe (Montserrado County), and Jacob Debee (Grand Gedeh County) were freed from detention pending their upcoming arraignment at the Monrovia City Court.
All four lawmakers had been held at the Monrovia Central Prison since Saturday.
The high-profile arrests followed their invitation for questioning by the Liberia National Police in connection to the December 2024 arson attack on the Capitol Building.
The defendants face a slew of serious charges, including arson, criminal attempt to commit murder, endangering another person, criminal conspiracy, and criminal facilitation.
Police authorities allege the lawmakers played active roles in organizing or supporting the violent incident that left significant damage to one of Liberia’s most important national symbols.
The bond was approved by the Monrovia City Court on Monday afternoon, following a closed-door legal review of the defendants’ application.
The release comes as the judiciary faces mounting public scrutiny over how it handles cases involving high-ranking political figures. The case is being closely watched both locally and internationally, seen by many as a test of Liberia’s commitment to justice, accountability, and the rule of law.
Outside the Monrovia Central Prison, a modest crowd of supporters gathered, some expressing relief at the lawmakers’ release, while others criticized what they perceive as preferential treatment due to their political status.
sAs the nation awaits further developments, calls continue from civil society groups and legal analysts for transparency, impartiality, and swift justice.
