IPNEWS: During its March Term, A.D. 2026, Liberia’s Supreme Court will decide if a lower court’s mistrial declaration in the Capitol Building arson case met the “manifest necessity” standard and whether retrying the defendants would violate double jeopardy protections.
The defendants—J. Fonati Koffa, Dixon W. Seboe, Abu B. Kamara, and Jacob C. B. Debbie—have petitioned for a Writ of Prohibition. They seek reversal of the mistrial ruling, a peremptory writ, discharge from further prosecution, or other just relief.
Charged with arson, aggravated assault, criminal conspiracy, illegal firearms possession, criminal mischief, and related offenses by the Republic of Liberia via the Ministry of Justice, the petitioners argue the lower court’s decision was illegal, prejudicial, and an abuse of discretion.
They claim the judge imported new grounds beyond the prosecution’s motion, failed to prove manifest necessity, and ended the trial after jeopardy attached—paving the way for unconstitutional double jeopardy on retrial.
Citing Liberian jurisprudence, they assert a Writ of Prohibition can prevent or undo such illegal acts.
Presiding Judge Roosevelt Z. Willie granted the prosecution’s oral motion despite defense objections. He removed the questioned juror but disbanded the entire panel, citing broader impartiality concerns.
Defense counsel called the allegations speculative, lacking record evidence. They said jurors’ video-viewing questions sought valid clarification, not bias, and note-exchanging lacked proof of panel-wide misconduct. They urged individual remedies like admonitions over full dissolution.
Prosecutors sought to disband the jury, claiming one juror had “made up his mind” via questions during video evidence and that two or three exchanged notes, threatening impartiality.
This came after the trial advanced past arraignment, jury selection, and the prosecution’s first witness, Assistant Commissioner of Police Raphael A. Wilson.
