Published: June 27, 2025
MONROVIA – Monrovia City Court Stipendiary Magistrate Ben L. Barco on Thursday ruled that the $441,000 bail bond securing the release of former Speaker J. Fonati Koffa and three fellow lawmakers is sufficient and legally justified, quashing a government motion that sought to revoke the bond and return the defendants to jail.
The highly anticipated ruling came just days after the state filed a scathing motion accusing the defendants of using fraudulent documentation and under-valued properties to secure their release from the Monrovia Central Prison on June 9. But in his ruling, Magistrate Barco found that the defense adequately justified the bond with deeds probated by the Monthly and Probate Courts and tax assessments verified by the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA).
Citing Article 21(d) of the 1986 Constitution, the judge also held that the accused, being sitting lawmakers, could legally have been granted bail on their personal recognizance, thereby weakening the prosecution’s argument that the bond was inadequate relative to the severity of the charges.
“The bond is sufficient under the law,” Magistrate Barco stated. “It is supported by appropriate documentation and sureties, and the defendants’ constitutional rights remain intact.”
Bond Battle Ends—For Now
The prosecution had sought to invalidate the bond filed by Koffa and Representatives Dixon W. Seboe (District #16, Montserrado), Abu B. Kamara (District #15, Montserrado), and Jacob C. Debbie (District #3, Grand Gedeh), all accused of orchestrating the December 18, 2024, arson attack on the Capitol Building. The blaze gutted key sections of the legislative chambers and caused an estimated $8.6 million in damage.
The state argued that the bond—totaling only $441,000—was grossly insufficient and propped up by forged deeds, inflated property values, and unverifiable ownership claims. It further alleged that the sureties—relatives of the former Speaker—used encumbered or non-existent properties in violation of Liberian bail laws.
But the court disagreed, accepting defense evidence that included probated deeds, verified tax documents, and testimonies from family members who served as sureties. One of the key witnesses during the bond hearing was Joanna Janet Koffa, daughter of the former Speaker, who testified in detail about the value and location of the properties used as collateral—primarily in Todee and Marshall, Montserrado County.
A Constitutional Shield
In defending the bond, lead defense attorney Cllr. Wilkins Wright had argued that the prosecution “misapplied the law,” noting that bail is not meant to reflect restitution but to ensure a defendant’s appearance in court.
“The Constitution guarantees bail except in capital cases,” Wright said. “And these defendants—elected lawmakers—pose no flight risk and have submitted to every aspect of the process.”
He added that even the Criminal Court ‘A’ had accepted the human sureties—spouses and clergy members—as valid, further weakening the prosecution’s case for revocation.
The court also found no evidence that the properties were “imaginary” or legally unusable, as claimed by prosecutors. Instead, the judge noted that the lack of a forensic valuation of the Capitol damage undermined the prosecution’s reliance on financial disparity as the basis for invalidation.
During the bond hearing, state prosecutor Cllr. Bobby W. Livingstone had argued that the defense’s documents contained “contradictions and duplications” and lacked professional appraisals. “These sureties essentially devalued their own properties through their testimony,” he told the court earlier this week.
Trial Looms Over Capitol Blaze
The lawmakers face multiple felony charges including arson, attempted murder, criminal mischief, and illegal possession of firearms. The case stems from a politically explosive investigation into the December 18 blaze that authorities say was aimed at destabilizing the Legislature and sabotaging the country’s post-election governance.
Police and prosecutors allege that the accused coordinated a network of staffers and insiders, including Capitol maintenance workers, to sabotage the surveillance system and ignite the fire with gasoline. One suspect, James Muller, reportedly helped co-conspirators gain access to the chambers in the early hours of the morning.
Rep. Seboe has been singled out by investigators as the operation’s “logistical hub,” allegedly disbursing funds and instructions via a WhatsApp group chat and face-to-face meetings in Jallah Town on December 17.
The defense, however, has derided the government’s digital evidence as “contaminated social media noise,” lacking chain-of-custody protocols or court-admissible verification.
Meanwhile, the defendants remain subject to a Writ of Ne Exeat Republica, barring them from leaving Liberia without court approval.
For now, however, Koffa and his colleagues will remain free—under bond, under scrutiny, and under the watchful eye of a nation still reeling from the symbolic attack on its seat of democracy.
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