Published: June 5, 2025
CAPITOL HILL, MONROVIA – Former House Speaker Cllr. Jonathan Fonati Koffa and six other members of the House of Representatives have been summoned by the Liberia National Police (LNP) as “persons of interest” in the investigation into the December 2024 fire that damaged the Capitol Building.
The lawmakers are expected to appear at LNP Headquarters on Friday, June 6, 2025. The summons, signed by Police Inspector General Gregory Coleman, was formally read Thursday during plenary by Chief Clerk Mildred Siryon.
Those summoned include:
– Cllr. Jonathan Fonati Koffa (Grand Kru County)
– Frank Saah Foko (Montserrado County District 9)
– Abu B. Kamara (Montserrado County District 15)
– Dixon W. Seboe (Montserrado County District 16)
– Priscilla A. Cooper (Margibi County District 1)
– J. Marvin Cole (Bong County District 3)
– Jacob C. Debee (Grand Gedeh County District 3)
“The Liberia National Police appreciates your ongoing cooperation regarding the arson investigation of the fire incident at the Capitol Building,” Coleman wrote. “We respectfully request a meeting with the Honorable Representatives identified as persons of interest in the ongoing arson investigation.”
In response, the House unanimously agreed to comply with the police request and instructed its Judiciary Committee and Legal Department to accompany the lawmakers to the meeting.
Capitol Blaze Erupted Amid Tense Leadership Battle
The fire engulfed parts of the Capitol’s third floor on Dec. 18, 2024, during an intense political battle to remove Koffa as Speaker. The so-called “Majority Bloc” of lawmakers accused Koffa of autocratic leadership, lack of transparency, and unfair committee appointments.
Initially blamed on an electrical malfunction, subsequent investigations by the Liberia National Fire Service and the LNP determined the blaze was an act of arson. Forensic investigators found multiple ignition points and evidence of chemical accelerants.
Security footage showed unusual late-night access to the building, and several Capitol staffers were later detained. During preliminary hearings, one detainee described the fire as a “calculated act” intended to derail the anti-Koffa campaign—but declined to identify who was behind it.
Police Tighten Net Around Lawmakers
The police invitation marks the first time that current lawmakers have been directly tied to the case. A senior LNP source told The Liberian Investigator that Friday’s meeting may signal the final phase of the nearly six-month-long investigation.
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