MONROVIA, LIBERIA – The Monrovia City Court has opened preliminary hearings into allegations of arson linked to the December 2024 burning of the Capitol building, an incident that has gripped national attention. Presiding Magistrate L. Ben Barco on Wednesday, Janaury 22, 2025, overseeing the proceedings, which began after the defense filed a motion for a preliminary examination of the evidence under Liberia’s Criminal Procedure Law.
The prosecution’s first witness, Rafell A. Wilson, testified about evidence implicating Thomas Etheridge, one of the accused. According to Wilson, phone records from Etheridge’s device revealed conversations connecting him to actions during and after the December 17 riot, which escalated from a protest into chaos. Wilson also identified a white JAC pickup truck with license plate HOR-98 as a vehicle linked to Speaker Jonathan Koffa, alleging its involvement in the unrest.
Wilson described events during the riot, asserting that co-defendant Eric Sasay attacked PSU officer Amara Bility and forcibly seized his weapon. He further alleged that Sasay later contacted Etheridge to report that the officer had been subdued and abandoned on a street in Jallah Town. Etheridge’s direct role, however, remained unclear at the time of the incident.
The court heard that most of the defendants were employees at the Capitol building, except for one, John Nyanti, who is a correctional officer with the Ministry of Justice. Wilson stated that the Liberia National Police had identified 65 individuals as persons of interest during the investigation, though Etheridge was initially released into the custody of his lawyer, Cllr. Jonathan Massaquor.
The legal team representing the defendants includes Massaquor, M. Wilkins Wright, and Cllr. Elisha Forkeyoh. The prosecution is being led by a full team of state attorneys, signaling the gravity of the case.
