—- Wants Bail for Co-Defendants
IPNEWS: Defense lawyers representing former House Speaker J. Fonati Koffa and his co-defendants in the Capitol Arson case have announced plans to appeal to the Supreme Court of Liberia after the jury was disbanded in the Capitol Arson Case.
Criminal Court “A” Judge Roosevelt Z. Willie declared a mistrial and dissolved the entire jury panel on January 2, 2026, due to alleged juror misconduct.
Following the jury’s disbandment, defense lawyers for former House Speaker J. Fonati Koffa and the other accused individuals immediately announced their intention to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court. They also formally requested that all defendants be granted bail, arguing that a previously approved criminal appearance bond was still valid.
The prosecution had sought the jury’s dissolution after raising concerns about potential bias when one juror questioned video evidence presented by the state.
The defense has characterized the prosecution’s move as an admission that its case lacks sufficient evidence.
The development comes after Criminal Court “A” Judge Roosevelt Z. Willie, on Friday, January 2, 2026, ordered the dissolution of the entire jury panel and suspended the case until the next term of court.
The ruling followed a formal application by state prosecutors, who alleged juror misconduct, arguing that the panel had become “contaminated” and could no longer deliver an impartial verdict.
Immediately after the decision, Defense Counsel Cllr. Wilkins Wright announced in open court that the defense had taken exception to the ruling and would proceed with an appeal under the controlling statute before the Supreme Court.
Cllr. Wright also filed an application requesting the release of all defendants on bail, citing a previously approved criminal appearance bond that, according to the defense, was never vacated by the court. He noted that the bond was later supplemented with human sureties, in line with legal requirements.
However, State Prosecutor Cllr. Augustine Fayiah objected to the bail request, arguing that it was procedurally flawed and inconsistent with legal precedent. He maintained that bail should have been addressed earlier in the proceedings and warned that granting it now could violate the principle of stare decisis.
In his response, Judge Willie acknowledged and granted the defense’s exception but declined to immediately grant the bail. He referenced an earlier ruling that imposed specific bail conditions, noting that those conditions had not yet been fully satisfied.
Court sources disclosed that while three defendants were previously placed on flat rate, others would still need to be evaluated to determine potential flight risk before any final bail decision is made.
The jury was disbanded following a prosecution request made on December 29, during the 41st day of jury sitting in the November Term of Court.
The request came amid mounting public scrutiny and growing disputes over the prosecution’s evidence, including contested forensic claims and video evidence that jurors reportedly questioned during the trial.
The case is now expected to move to the Supreme Court as legal battles over procedure, bail, and the future of the trial continue.
