IPNEWS: —- As Int’l Community Calls On Gov’t to ensure Tarial is non-political & Without Judicial Manipulation; vows full representation during the trial
On Tuesday morning, Former House Speaker Fonati Koffa, and three other Lawmakers accused of being the masterminds behind last December arson attacks on the Joint chambers of the Legislature appeared at the Monrovia City Court amid threats to have them re-arrest within 24 hours if they could not justify the sufficiency of their bail bonds
At the hearing once more prosecutors failed to sustain previous contestation of an the ineffectiveness of the property bond filed by defense Lawyers representing former Speaker Fonati Koffa, and three other lawmakers.
During the hearing Tuesday, June 24, defense argue that their client’s property bond filed met the full requirements by law. However, prosecution detested that it needs more clues to solidify the actuality of the bond.
Taking the witness stand, wife of former Speaker Koffa, Jonda Janet Kula Koffa, who put up her properties located in Marshall City, and Todee District, Montserrado county, assured the court that the property bond presented by her Husband was legitimate and were available for appraisal. Madam Koffa further assured the court that her husband remains law-abiding and was no flight risk as been perceived.
On that note prosecution insisted that the defense provide the total monetary value of the named properties which was resisted by the defense on grounds that it would not determine such until the regulatory body by law could do so.
Consistent with the evidences provided by both the defense team and wife of the former speaker, Dama R. Yekeson-Koffa admitted the bonds as legitimate to proceed for trail.
The trail involving the former House speaker and three other opposition lawmakers is schedule for
On Monday, June 23, the Monrovia City Court Orders former House Speaker Koffa and Three other Lawmakers to Justify Bail Bonds or Face Re-Arrest Within 24 Hours.
Stipendiary Magistrate Ben L. Barco issued the ultimatum on Monday following a mandate from Criminal Court ‘A’ Judge Roosevelt Z. Willie. Judge Willie had returned the case to the lower court with instructions for the City Court to assess the validity of the defendants’ bail and report its findings to him.
“The court has no option but to obey the mandate,” Magistrate Barco ruled, referencing Judge Willie’s directive to hear the state’s exceptions to the defendants’ bail bonds and determine their sufficiency no later than Wednesday, June 25, 2025 and that “Failure to comply would amount to contempt, which this magistrate dares not do.”
The defendants in question Reps. Abu B. Kamara, Jacob Debee, and Dixon Seboe, along with former Speaker Koffa, were given until today Tuesday, June 24 at 9 a.m. to produce their sureties in court. If they fail to do so, the bonds will be nullified, and they will be subject to immediate re-arrest, the magistrate warned.
In backing his decision, Magistrate Barco cited the Supreme Court’s 2013 opinion in The Intestate Estate of the Late Sarah Sirleaf vs. EL-Bim et al, which reinforced the authority of superior court mandates over lower courts.
Following the ruling, one of the defense attorneys took exception and vowed to pursue available legal remedies.
Meanwhile, the authoritative Independent Probe Newspaper has received credible reports that members of the Contact Group on Liberia have taken interest in the ongoing trail involving former Speaker Koffa and three others.
According to Diplomatic sources who hinted the authoritative Independent Newspaper, there are ongoing intense discussion ongoing by key members of the contact Group on LIBERIA to ensure the much-publicized trial involving former House speaker Cllr. Johnathan Fonati Koffa, and three other lawmakers of the opposition Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), are free of political and judicial manipulation.
The dispatch also hints that several members in Diplomatic cycles remains heartbeat over the refusal by the government of Liberia to ensure the commander of the police detachment assigned at the capitol building during the night of the arson attack placed as co-defendant, for failure to secured the capital building following the dislodging of protesters.
The dispatch further hailed U.S. President Donald J. Trump for his farsightedness in canceling the office of global Crime Justic within the Department of States.
It may be recall, the office of global Crime Justic, was accused of manipulating the appointment of Cllr. Johnathan Massaquoi, as head of the office of war & Economic Crimes Court, to favor prosit groups found to be involved in paying witnesses to lie on accused persons of war crimes.
On the issue of the war & economic crime court formation in Liberia. The dispatch notes that there were lot to still be done to ensure the formation of the war & economic crime court formation in Liberi is not dead upon arrival.
There remain high uncertainties over whether or not the United States congress would fund the process of the war & economic crime court formation in Liberia.
