Capitol Hill, Monrovia – The state has proceeded to argue against the $441,000 bail bond of former Speaker J. Fonati Koffa and his co-defendants on trial, alleging it is false, insufficient, and legally worthless, putting them at danger of further arrest and incarceration.
Government prosecutors urged Monrovia City Court Stipendiary Magistrate L. Ben Barco to revoke the bond and re-arrest Koffa, Montserrado County District #16 Representative Dixon W. Seboe, Representative 15 Representative Abu B. Kamara, and Grand Gedeh District #3 Representative Jacob C. Debbie in a motion filed on Wednesday, June 12, just 24 hours before final arguments in their preliminary hearing.
The four are said to have planned the arson assault on December 18, 2024, which damaged important parts of the Capitol Building and allegedly caused damage exceeding $8.6 million. The accusations include criminal mischief, unlawful firearm possession, arson, and attempted murder.
They were released from Monrovia Central Prison on June 9 pursuant to a criminal appearance bond, which prosecutors claim was supported by falsified paperwork, exaggerated property valuations, and a clear discrepancy between the bond’s financial weight and the severity of the accused crime.
According to the prosecution’s motion, which was signed by Solicitor General Cllr. Augustine C. Fayiah and a group of top Ministry of Justice attorneys, the sureties, Marian Mona Koffa and Jonda Janet Koffa, provided assets as collateral that were unsubstantiated, encumbered, or nonexistent. Until a bail that complies with the law is submitted, the state is requesting that the court set aside the release and return the defendants to custody.
The motion claims that the aforementioned bond is completely flawed, burdened, inadequate, and violates Liberian law’s standards for a valid bail bond. The guarantees are accused in the filing of not presenting any pictures, tax clearing receipts, or title papers as proof of ownership or property worth. There is no supporting documentation for either of the two deeds, which the prosecution claims are for unoccupied acreage valued at $83,000 and $15,000, respectively.
According to the motion, “these properties do not qualify to be posted as a bond because they have obligations that have not yet been liquidated. The methods used to generate the values are not justified. It is necessary to dismiss and set aside the relationship.”
The glaring discrepancy between the bond value and the actual financial damage allegedly inflicted is a major component of the state’s complaint. Prosecutors argue that a criminal appearance bond should be established at 1.5 times the amount of the alleged loss, or around $13 million, in accordance with Liberian law.
The defendants were let free on a mere $441,000 bail. Given the seriousness of the allegations, the Ministry of Justice claims that this number is not only “severely insufficient,” but also “dismissive.”
A highly volatile political environment and increased public scrutiny surrounds the bond challenge. Amid charges of political vendettas and parliamentary conflicts, the Capitol Building caught fire. In a startling turnaround only days after their release, the four parliamentarians could be led back to the Monrovia Central Prison where they were housed last weekend if Magistrate Barco agrees to the punishment.
Magistrate Barco signed a $440,000 joint felony appearance bail for Koffa and his co-defendants on June 9. Marian Mona Koffa and Jonda Janet Koffa, who are purportedly related to the previous Speaker, are included as sureties in the document.
Following their arrest on a number of criminal charges related to the demolition of the Capitol’s joint chambers, they were detained for three nights until the bond was approved. Under strict security, their release was planned, and former President George Weah supported them by showing up at the Temple of Justice.
Rep. Priscilla Cooper (District #5, Montserrado) was one prominent person who was not included in the bond agreement. She was arrested with the others but was held in detention as her legal team while the others were being held. State attorneys were blunt in their filing. They claim that the whole bond package is a deliberate attempt to mislead the court and that the assets offered as collateral were either fictitious or indebted.
The motion declares, “These documents are fraudulent and should not be approved. The defendants’ attempt to mislead this Honorable Court with such exaggerated and fabricated documents is also disgraceful.”
The government claims that one of the sureties’ property deeds was taxed at just $271, creating severe concerns about its true value, while another had no accompanying tax record or official valuation.
