Monrovia, Liberia – In what has been called a Capitol Hill plan to overthrow House Speaker Fonati Koffa, it is alleged that around 47 members got US$15,000 apiece in advance bribe payments versus US$25,000 pledged in bribe money.
In an attempt to remove House Speaker Fonati Koffa, who is now abroad, a number of legislators have allegedly accepted bribes totaling more than US 1.1 million.
The following representatives are alleged suspected of receiving the bribe money: Representatives Samson Q. Wiah, Alexander Poure, Johnson J.N. Williams, Nejker E. Gaye, Isaac B. C. Wou, Samuel N. Browne, and Bintu Massalay. Reps. Emmanuel Yarh, Mohammed Dosi, Nyahn G. Flomo, Sam P. Jallah, Anthony F. Williams, and others, to mention a few.
According to Liberian law, bribery is illegal since it is a corrupt activity that threatens democracy. As a result, several officials have imposed fines including US travel restrictions on those involved. The Executive Branch of Government has denied any attempt to sabotage Speak Koffa at the House, despite accusations to the contrary.
On Thursday, October 17, 2024, the House of Representatives saw a chaotic effort to oust Speaker Koffa as Lawmakers who had allegedly accepted bribe money stormed the Capitol, only to be met with opposition from other politicians who rejected their scheme.
Legislators got into heated arguments as a result, causing chaos on the Capitol grounds and even getting into fistfights with some of their rivals.
While Koffa is still abroad, the commotion began. The beginning of it all occurred when Representative J. Marvin Cole, the Chairman on Rules, Orders, and Administration, shut the doors to the House of Representatives’ chambers, prohibiting Deputy Speaker Thomas Fallah from entering.
Fallah was unable to enter the rooms as Rep. Cole began leading the day’s proceedings. Rep. Cole, who accused Deputy Speaker Fallah of being a criminal, requested that Fallah will not lead the meeting.
Cole also claimed that Fallah had compromised his colleagues’ integrity and safety. Both legislators engaged in a heated exchange as a result, Rep. Cole threatened to retaliate if Fallah tried to enter the Chambers.
A meeting was called by the anti-Koffa group of parliamentarians who had allegedly accepted bribe money, and tensions rose as they read a resolution outlining the allegations they had against the House Speaker and their desire to have him removed.
Some anti-Koffa Legislators broke down a door in the joint chambers where some politicians and journalists were detained.
Pro- and anti-Koffa supporters got into a brawl, sending legislators and reporters running for their lives. Subsequently, the anti-Koffa faction assembled on the Capitol premises to present their multi-count resolution.
The anti-Koffa group claimed that the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, and other duly elected officers may be removed for reason in accordance with Article 49 of the Liberian Constitution and Rule 9.1 of the Rules and Procedures of the House of Representatives.
According to the regulations, a two-thirds majority of House members must vote in favor of the expulsion. Based on Article 49 of the Liberian Constitution and Rule 9.1 of the Rules and Procedures of the House of Representatives, the committee declared that it had determined reasons to remove Councilor Koffa from his position as Speaker of the House.
Representative Nya Flomo of Nimba County District #2 charged Speaker Koffa of having a serious conflict of interest. He claimed that this is preventing other committees from operating smoothly. The Lawmaker from Nimba said that Koffa led the legal and consulting teams for several government organizations, concessions, and other private businesses in the nation.
Rep. Flomo alleged that the Speaker single-handedly selected Liberia’s Representatives to the ECOWAS Parliament and lied under oath that he conducted an election. He claimed that on February 7, 2024, the Speaker delivered a list of Liberia’s House of Representatives members to the 6th Legislature of the ECOWAS Parliament to Dr. Sidie Mohammed, the Right Honorable Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, without holding an election.
A vote of no confidence in Speaker Koffa as Speaker of the House of Representatives has been released in the interim by the anti-Koffa faction. The majority block’s reading the resolution outside the chambers does not entirely fulfill the Speaker’s official dismissal.
The method stipulates that everything must happen within a formal session when the resolution is read. The agenda for the session must include the resolution. A vote should be held to decide whether to remove the speaker once it has been read aloud during the session. To be continued. Othello B. Garblah, editor.
