Published: June 7, 2025
MONROVIA — The Congress for Democratic Change is rallying its members and the broader opposition to appear at the Monrovia City Court on Monday in a show of solidarity with four detained lawmakers, including former House Speaker J. Fonati Koffa.
The lawmakers — Koffa, Rep. Dixon Siebo, Rep. Jacob Debee, and Rep. Abu Bana Kamara — were jailed late Thursday and remain in custody after their legal team failed to secure a bond. Details of the charges against them have not been made public, but the CDC contends the detentions are politically driven.
“We consider former Speaker Koffa and the other three lawmakers to be political prisoners,” CDC National Treasurer Janga A. Kowo told reporters Saturday at the party’s headquarters in Congo Town. “Their arrest and continued detention reflect a growing trend of political intimidation and the abuse of state power.”
Kowo accused the government of reneging on efforts to secure their release and said the CDC had issued a formal statement demanding their immediate and unconditional discharge.
The lawmakers, all outspoken critics of the Unity Party-led government, spent their first night in detention at Monrovia Central Prison, fueling outrage among opposition figures and rights advocates.
“The CDC remains resolute,” Kowo said. “We will not bow to pressure. We will continue to stand up for what is right and defend the democratic rights of our members.”
He called on party supporters and other members of the opposition bloc to gather at the courthouse on Monday and remain there until the lawmakers are freed.
“We will not be intimidated into silence or forced to alter our ideological beliefs,” Kowo added.
Meanwhile, CDC loyalists and opposition allies have vowed to maintain a presence at the court, warning that continued detention of the lawmakers could escalate tensions.
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