Preliminary hearings for the trial regarding the arson attack on the Capitol commenced on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. During the proceedings, the state’s first witness was unable to clearly identify who among the lawmakers charged with the crime authorized the burning of the building.
Cllr. M. Wilkins Wright, representing four of the five lawmakers involved in the case—former House Speaker J. Fonati Koffa, Rep. Abu Kamara, Rep. Dixon Seboe, and Rep. Jacob Debee—repeatedly questioned the witness, Peter W. Johnson, about the roles each of the four lawmakers played in the arson, as all four face the same charges.
Witness Johnson testified that investigators uncovered the defendants’ connection to the crime through audio recordings and WhatsApp chat conversations with primary defendants Thomas Ethridge and others, who are currently imprisoned at the Monrovia Central Prison. Johnson indicated that a voice recording containing all four lawmakers’ voices was obtained, but Representative Abu Kamara denied the authenticity of the recording, claiming it was fabricated by Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Five lawmakers are currently undergoing preliminary hearings on charges that include arson, criminal facilitation, criminal solicitation, criminal conspiracy, and criminal attempt to commit murder.
During cross-examination, Cllr. Wright asked Johnson whether all the defendants lit the matches together to ignite the Capitol Building and what specific role each defendant played in the crime. Witness Johnson alleged that Representative J. Fonati Koffa was the primary financier behind the arson, citing conversations from a senior staff WhatsApp chatroom that included Cllr. Koffa.
Further interrogating Johnson, Cllr. Wright inquired if Koffa’s Facebook post had any role in implicating him in the case. Johnson responded, “No,” but added that the post motivated the attackers to commit the crime.
Johnson, who is the Chief Inspector for Criminal Investigation, stated that Representative Abu Kamara was questioned about his relationship with one of his staffers, identified as Amos Koffa, who acted as a liaison between Kamara and Dixon Seboe. However, Kamara claimed he could not recall details because he was under stress at the time.
Continuing his testimony, Johnson identified Representative Dixon Seboe as the principal architect and organizer of the fire incident. “Honorable Seboe, now a defendant before this court, had prior meetings or friendships with all the individuals involved in this case concerning Thomas Ethridge. As we speak in this court, Ethridge was assigned to now-defendant Fonati Koffa,” Johnson stated.
He testified that Amos Koffa works with the House of Representatives, just like another prime suspect, John Nyanti, who also worked in the House with Dixon Seboe. Johnson added that key suspects Steven Broh and others were employees of the House of Representatives as well.
Witness Johnson claimed that Seboe contacted the alleged perpetrators through John Nyanti, Amos Koffa, and the other defendants to coordinate and organize the burning of the Capitol Building on the day of the crime. He alleged that Defendant Koffa was implicated because a senior staff chatroom in Koffa’s office was used for information exchange. Investigators observed messages from two of Koffa’s staff indicating that Thomas Ethridge was at the police station and needed to quickly return to retrieve his phone to avoid police identifying the messages related to the arson.
According to Johnson, Koffa was one of the financiers behind the group responsible for burning the Capitol Building’s joint chambers. Chief Inspector Johnson further reported that Defendant Thomas Ethridge informed police investigators that former Speaker Koffa was referred to as ‘Higher Up’ or ‘Boss Man’ and admitted to receiving $1,000 to pay those involved in the crime.
Regarding conspiracy, Johnson linked the four defendants, explaining that even if one does not know the other conspirators, agreeing to act with another person in committing a crime signifies involvement, as in the case of Representative Koffa.
As for Priscilla Cooper of District #5 in Montserrado County, the fifth lawmaker charged in connection with the crime, her attorneys, George B. Kailondo and Sylvester Yomie, waived the preliminary examination hearing.
Magistrate L. Ben Barco adjourned the trial, which is set to continue on June 11, 2025, at 9 a.m. The Government of Liberia was represented by Cllr. Augustine Fayiah, Solicitor General; Cllr. Jerry Garlawolu, Assistant Minister for Litigation; Cllr. Richard Scott, Montserrado County Attorney, and Jonah Kerkula, among others. The defendants were represented by Cllr. Jonathan Massaquoi, Cllr. Wilkins Wright, Atty. Safia Mai Gray, and others.
