Capitol Hill, Monrovia – As the Legislative Arson case gets set to be tried at the First Judicial Circuit – Criminal Court ‘A’, presided over by His Honor, Judge Rosevelt Z. Willie, public concern is growing over the disappearance of the seats belonging to the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker from the Joint Chambers of the Legislature. The seats were reportedly taken to the majority bloc’s session prior to the alleged arson attack.
Despite all other furniture within the Joint Chambers getting burned during the December 18 arson, the Speaker and Deputy Speaker’s seats were subsequently seen in the office of Representative James Kolleh—current Chair on Rules, Order, and Administration and a member of the majority bloc—on the ground floor of the Legislature. Rep. Kolleh claimed the seats were found in the legislative warehouse. However, there remains an unanswered question as to who removed the seats from the Joint Chamber prior to the fire.
The situation, which occurred on December 18, 2024, follows a longstanding legislative impasse that began in January 2024, shortly after the inauguration of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai. The core of the impasse stemmed from disputes surrounding the election of the Speaker of the House of Representatives during the opening of the 55th Legislature. No single political party gained an absolute majority in the House following the October 2023 general elections, leading to fierce competition for leadership roles.
The Speaker’s race saw Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa of the opposition Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) contesting against Richard Koon of the ruling Unity Party. While the Unity Party and the Boakai administration strongly backed Koon, Cllr. Koffa eventually won the Speaker position with support from CDC lawmakers and a bloc of independent and opposition-aligned representatives. His election came as a blow to the ruling coalition, which had anticipated controlling both chambers of the Legislature. This unexpected outcome sparked tensions and led to eight months of a power struggle within the House.
Prior to the December 18, 2024 arson attack on the Legislature, the Government of Liberia, through the Liberia National Police, took charge of security at the Capitol on November 10, 2024, following an initial act of vandalism.
Despite not investigating the disappearance and subsequent reappearance of the two seats from the Joint Chamber of the Legislature, the Liberia National Police released its final investigation report on June 6, 2025, concerning the December 18 arson attack. The report did not capture who removed the seats or why they were removed prior to the attack.
The Liberia National Police (LNP)’s June 6, 2025 findings into the arson attack at the Capitol Building linked several lawmakers and private citizens to what was described as a “coordinated and criminally motivated operation.” Indicted individuals were charged under multiple sections of the Revised Penal Code of Liberia, including arson, criminal mischief, criminal attempt to commit murder, and criminal conspiracy, all stemming from the fire that gutted the Joint Chambers in December 2024.
The investigation, which failed to identify who removed the Speaker and Deputy Speaker’s seats before the blaze—reported to have started as early as 6:20 a.m., when the vast majority of occupants were either at home or en route to work—nonetheless uncovered what the LNP termed a deliberate attempt to destroy property, endanger lives, and undermine national governance. According to police findings, the accused individuals played varying roles, from direct involvement in setting the fire to aiding and encouraging its execution. However, none were linked to the removal of the seats. Charges brought included arson, reckless endangerment, criminal facilitation, and criminal solicitation.
According to Police Inspector General, Col. Gregory O. W. Coleman, the findings are not assumptions or opinions, but facts based on verified evidence and guided by law. He stated that the investigation uncovered a coordinated plan, executed with intent to destroy a national symbol and undermine the nation’s stability.
“Following a thorough, months-long investigation, the Liberia National Police, working in close collaboration with the Joint Security, has concluded its inquiry into the Capitol Building arson attack—an incident that deeply shook our democratic institutions and threatened national stability.
On Friday, June 6, 2025, I addressed the nation with the findings of our investigation. These findings are not assumptions or opinions; they are based on verified evidence and guided by the law. The investigation uncovered a coordinated plan, executed with intent to destroy a national symbol and undermine the peace we all strive to preserve.
Regrettably, those charged include both private citizens and sitting lawmakers. This is a difficult but necessary truth. Our duty is not to individuals or institutions but to the law and the Liberian people.”
Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa, Speaker of the House of Representatives, is among lawmakers linked to the December 18, 2024, arson attack on the Capitol Building, according to the Liberia National Police’s final investigative report released on June 6, 2025. Though not explicitly named among those who physically executed the attack, Koffa is reportedly tied to the case through allegations of facilitation and incitement, as part of what police termed a “coordinated and criminally motivated operation.” His indictment falls under charges of criminal solicitation and conspiracy, prompting preparations for trial at Criminal Court ‘A’ under Judge Roosevelt Z. Willie.
As Koffa prepares to face trial alongside other accused lawmakers and private citizens, scrutiny has intensified around unresolved elements of the case—particularly the mysterious removal and reappearance of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker’s seats. The seats, which were reportedly absent during the arson and later found in Representative James Kolleh’s office, raise suspicions of insider involvement or foreknowledge of the attack. Kolleh, a known ally of the majority bloc led by Speaker Koffa, claims the seats were recovered from the legislative warehouse, though no formal inquiry was made into their removal.
The unexplained reappearance of the chairs—key symbols of legislative authority—has sparked public doubt about the impartiality and completeness of the investigation. While the Liberia National Police did not address the chair incident in its final findings, the timeline and associations suggest a potentially deeper network of coordination. This issue may surface in court as defense teams or prosecutors question whether the removal of the seats was precautionary, incidental, or indicative of prior knowledge of the arson.
Reported by: G Bennie Bravo Johnson, I.
