The Monrovia city court has ruled against Former house Speaker Cllr Fonita Koffa and three others in the Preliminary hearing intended to establish prima facie case, as the matter will now moved to Criminal Court A” for full trial.
Magistrate Ben Barco in his ruling said the prosecution established prima facie case,such that the defendants can be held to further answer to the crimes as charged.
” The narratives are sufficient grounds to establish parable cause , therefore. It’s the holding of this court that prosecution has establish a prima facie case, such that the defendants can be held to further answer to the crimes as charged.” He said.
He stated section 12.2 of the criminal procedure law provides that ” the accused shall be afforded a preliminary examination after his/ her first appearance before the magistrate or justice of the peace “.
According to the city court judge the standard in establishing a prima facie case is not proof beyond reasonable doubt,but a determination as to the existence of a probable cause that is, a reasonable ground to suspect that a person has committed a crime .
It can be recalled the Ministry of justice via a police charge sheet filed a complaint on the 16th day of May 2025 to the effect that on Tuesday December 17, 2024 the named defendants to include Dixon Seeboe, Abu B Kamara , J. Fonati Koffa, and Jacob C. Debbie and others through telephone conversations and actions criminally connived ,conspired , sponsored and purchased explosives including gasoline which was used to set ablaze the joint chamber of the house of representatives.
During court hearing one of the witness said on 18 December 2024, at about 1:00 am, there was a call to Co- defendant Dixon Seboe, alias, Gago from Amos Koffa, and there were also call exchanges amongst Ethridge, Amos Koffa, Nyante as well as Co-defendant Dixon Seiboe regarding their plot. The witness narrated that during that period, Thomas Ethridge, who was driving one of the vehicles of Co-defendant Fonati koffa, was lifting Stephen Broh, John Nyante and Amos koffa towards Monrovia, but that as they approached Central Monrovia, they were not certain as to whether or not Kaba bought the gasoline; so, they moved to Buchanan and Carey Streets intersection to a
street gas dealer, where they purchased one gallon of gasoline.
The witness narrated that thereafter, the group drove unto the Capitol Building in the said pick-up and entered from the gate facing the University of Liberia before they disembarked from the vehicle.
Prosecution second witness further said there were other actors already within the premises of the Capitol Building, and together, they moved into the joint chambers on the 4th floor and set it al blaze, using gasoline and other flammable materials, before
escaping from the premises of the Capitol Building, except for Ethridge, who
remained to video tape the burning of the Capitol Building to report to their bosses as evidence.
Prosecution witness narrated that while police and other law enforcement agencies were in search of John Nyantee, Amos Koffa, Stephen Broh and other accomplices of the arson attack in January 2025, Defendant Dixon Seboe contacted Stephen koffa, the filing clerk in his office with an instruction to reach out to his Chief of office Staff to provide cash to facilitate John Nyantee’s escape from the country.
Thereafter, according to Prosecution witness, the sister of John Nyantee as were as Christian Koffa escorted Nyantee to the Loguotuo border where he used the fake name, “Moses Boinyene” which is the name of a Governor in New Kru Town to
obtain a laissez passé to cross the border and evade justice.
“The allegations in this complaint are that the above-med defendants of the City of Monrovia through telephone conversations and other means, crinals connived. conspired, sporo via purchased explosives, including gasoline which were to set ablaze the Joint Chambr Capitol Building, housing the Liberian Legislature on December 17, 2024, thereby causing damages to the said Joint Chambers at the cost of over US$1.800.000.00 (1.8 million United
States Dollars).
The complaint further alleges that previous to the December 17 incident and in the aftermath of a riot. Defendants brutally attacked or caused to be attacked a police officer and
left him unconscious: whereas, they confiscated his gun and converted same into their personal use.
State witnesses were corroborative in the description of the events leading up to the burning of the Capitol, such that they also described the roles each o the defendants played in the conspiracy.
Defendant Dixon Seboe is particularly named as the person who cooked the conspiracy.to the effect that he recruited and manipulated persons to burn the Joint Chambers of the Capitol Building, and thereafter, facilitated their escape.
“Whereas Defendant Abu Kamara. as one of the financers of the plot. is also accused of having recruited people he referred to as actors to help in the burning of the Capitol. For his part.
Prosecution witnesses narrated the role of Defendant J. Fonati Koffa as one of the financiers behind the plot. They also accused Koffa of being aware of the burning of the Capitol even before the
incident as he was part of a chatroom where the plot was hatched. For Defendant Jacob Debbie.”
he is said to have been aware of the plot. by listening to a conversation regarding same. but took no action, either before or after the incident to inform law enforcement authority, which inaction
defines his complicity.
These narratives are sufficient grounds to establish probable cause. Therefore, it is the holding of this Court that Prosecution has established a prima facie case. such that Defendants can be held to further answer to the crimes as charged.
