MONROVIA – Criminal Court A has formally taken jurisdiction over the high-profile criminal case involving former House Speaker Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa and four other lawmakers, following their transfer from the Monrovia City Court. The development, confirmed by the subordinate court on Monday, June 16, 2025, paves the way for a full trial that has captured national attention.
The lawmakers, Koffa, Abu B. Kamara, Dixon W. Seeboe, and Jacob C. Deebee, appeared before Criminal Court A with their wives serving as sureties. However, the court opted to turn them over to their respective lawyers after the prosecution challenged the legal sufficiency of their bond.
The transfer of the case stems from a June 14, 2024, ruling by Magistrate Ben Barco of the Monrovia City Court, who concluded that there was enough evidence to warrant a full criminal trial. “The prosecution established a prima facie case during preliminary proceedings,” Magistrate Barco stated in his ruling, emphasizing that while proof beyond a reasonable doubt is not yet required, there were sufficient grounds to suspect the accused of criminal wrongdoing.
Koffa and his co-defendants are facing a range of serious charges, including arson, attempted murder, criminal conspiracy, criminal mischief, and aggravated assault. The accusations arise from an alleged plot to use explosives and gasoline to set fire to the Joint Chamber of the House of Representatives on December 18, 2024.
Court documents indicate that the lawmakers sought to have the charges dismissed at the City Court level, but their motion was denied. The prosecution’s claims and the gravity of the alleged offense, including implications of an attack on a government institution, have intensified public scrutiny and raised broader questions about political stability and accountability.
Former House Speaker Koffa was notably absent when Magistrate Barco handed down the ruling. Nevertheless, Barco ordered that all legal instruments and documentation be forwarded to Criminal Court A without delay, signaling the next phase in what is poised to be one of Liberia’s most consequential trials involving sitting members of the Legislature.
With the matter now before Criminal Court A, the accused lawmakers are expected to face formal indictment by the Grand Jury of Montserrado County. A spokesperson for the court said trial proceedings will commence during the upcoming term.
