The commencement of trial in the much-talk-about Arson case involving former House Speaker Cllr. Fonati Koffa, and other defendants is now taking a dramatic turn after Judge Willie Denied Defense Counsel Motion to allow Cameras and Live Streaming amidst the highly sensitive nature of the trial.
Judge Willie also granted Defense motion for the Medical Examination of several defendants who claimed Tortured while in Police custody. However, defense Lawyers objected to using J.F.K. Medical Center to conduct any examination, as it is a government run Hospital.
Early August a United States Department of State’s Human Rights Watch report, confirms gross Human rights violation since Joseph Boakai took power.
The report detailed significant human rights issues included: arbitrary killings by police; cases of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment by police; harsh and life-threatening prison conditions; arbitrary detention by government officials; serious problems with the independence of the judiciary.
In February 2025, Defendants in the Capitol arson trial alleged torture and other forms of intimidation by state security forces, aimed at extracting confessions or implicating high-ranking individuals in the December 2024 burning of the Capitol Building. The allegations had cast a dark shadow over the trial, with claims of severe human rights violations surfacing.
Suspect Samuel Bah, arrested on January 23, 2025, in the St. Paul Bridge community, has alleged torture and intimidation. According to Bah, during interrogation by the anti-robbery unit, officers placed a firearm on the table, displayed pictures of political figures, and pressured him to implicate them in the arson. A leaked audio clip reveals Bah saying, “They brought us to the conference room late at night and started doing all kinds of things to us. They placed their weapons on the table and asked me to talk. I just started saying ‘yes, yes.’ But in court, I will tell the truth.”
Bah had reportedly confessed that Montserrado County District 16 Representative Dixon Seboe, a known ally of Speaker J. Fonati Koffa, financially supported the arson plot. He alleged that on December 17, 2024, during a protest, he and another suspect, identified as Pokah, received $100 through Seboe’s intermediary to carry out the attack. Despite these claims, Bah insisted he did not personally set the fire, although he was aware of the plan’s execution.
Etheridge’s Allegations of Torture
Thomas Isaac Etheridge, another defendant, painted an even grimmer picture during his court appearance on January 13, 2025. The Brewerville resident collapsed multiple times in court and accused National Security Agency (NSA) operatives of subjecting him to waterboarding, beatings, and threats of being thrown into a snake pit during his interrogation. Etheridge claimed the torture, which spanned seven hours, was intended to force him to sign a self-incriminating statement and accept recordings he did not recognize.
Etheridge’s legal counsel, Cllr. Jonathan Momo, corroborated his client’s account, describing the conditions as inhumane. Following his collapse, Etheridge was rushed to the AMI Medical Center, raising further questions about his treatment in custody.
Lawson’s Account of Coercion
Andrew Lawson, a constituency officer for Speaker Koffa, also accused the NSA of torture and coercion. Arrested on January 4, 2025, near the Speaker’s residence, Lawson alleged that NSA agents blindfolded, handcuffed, and stripped him before demanding he implicate Speaker Koffa and others in the Capitol arson. Lawson maintained his innocence, stating he had visited the Capitol solely to deliver a report. He described the interrogation as an attempt to fabricate a narrative implicating political figures, including Grace Johnson, who distributed stipends to staff but had no connection to criminal activities.
Justice Ministry Denies Torture Claims
Justice Minister Oswald Tweh vehemently denied the allegations of torture, labeling them “false, condemnable, and designed to undermine the investigation.” Speaking at a ceremony for the dedication of new vehicles for legal officials, Tweh assured the public of a transparent investigation and invited independent investigators to probe the torture claims. “No individual, regardless of status, will be shielded from accountability,” the minister stated, emphasizing the government’s commitment to justice.
Minister Tweh also warned against constitutional protections being misused to shield lawmakers from criminal accountability. “The investigation into the Capitol fire is progressing, and we will not tolerate attempts to disrupt or misrepresent these efforts,” he added.
Early this week, the Supreme Court of Liberia denied a request for an alternative writ of mandamus filed by the legal team of former House Speaker Fonati Koffa and others. The ruling was handed down by the Presiding Justice in Chambers, Jamesetta Wolokollie, during a hearing.
With the court’s decision, the case is move forward as scheduled. The trial of former House Speaker Fonati Koffa and other co-defendants resume Tuesday, September 2, 2025, at Criminal Court “A” at the Temple of Justice.
Lawyers representing former House Speaker Fonati Koffa and others had requested the Supreme Court to force a lower court to accept their bail bond, which the lower court had rejected. The defense team of former House Speaker Fonati Koffa and others, believes the judge made a mistake and wanted the higher court to fix it.
The government, represented by lawyers from the Ministry of Justice, stated that the bond does not meet the legal rules for releasing someone before trial. But the defense argues that their bond is good and says the government’s objections are unfair and political. They believe keeping their clients in jail is against their rights under the law.
The Supreme Court Chambers Justice on September 1, 2025, declined to issue the Writ of Certiorari prayed for by Thomas Etheridge and several defendants who are still behind bars after seven to eight months. Recently, in a significant ruling, Judge Willie denied bail to several defendants involved in the controversial Property Valuation Bond case.
Defendants Christian Koffa, John Nyanti, Eric Susay, Thomas Isaac Etheridge, Gabriel Fansieh, and Stephen Broh were ordered to remain in custody after the court found key documents presented in their defense to be “faked, fraudulent, and invalid.” The documents were reportedly deemed invalid by Mr. James Afif Jabar, Assistant Commissioner of the Liberia Revenue Authority’s Real Estate Tax Division.
However, the court noted that three defendants, Christian Koffa, Gabriel Fansieh, and Stephen Broh were not considered flight risks, leaving room for their release if their defense can legally validate the Property Valuation Bond by correcting the fraudulent transactions. Judge Willie’s ruling suspended further proceedings while emphasizing that the defendants can only be released if the necessary corrections are made to the bond documents.
This Supreme Court’s ruling marks a critical moment in the ongoing case, highlighting the court’s firm stance against fraudulent documentation and the seriousness with which it treats property-related offenses in Liberia. The case continues to draw public attention as legal experts await the next developments.
