By Yassah J. Wright
The arson trial involving former House Speaker Fonati Koffa, and others three sitting lawmakers, took a dramatic turn on when many of the jurors were rejected by both the prosecution and defense.
Those accused for the December 18, 2024, burning of the Capitol Building are Rep. Koffa and six other lawmakers (defendants).
The selection of jurors was held on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, but many of them were rejected by both the prosecution and defense.
Meanwhile, seven of them were selected and sequestrated under the basement of the Temple of Justice to await the completion of the selection process of the remaining five along with the six alternatives.
Those denied were said to have demonstrated a sign of biasness, which the lawyers believed selecting them would jeopardize the proceedings.
It all started on Monday, at Criminal Court ‘A,’ where the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges filed before the Court linking the defendants to the arson attack on the Capitol Building on December 18, 2024.
The case filed by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) against the former Speaker and his co-defendants over the alleged arson was taken up before Judge Roosevelt Z. Willie, after months of legal issue over the allegation of evidence gatherings.
During the hearing, defendants informed the Court that they pleaded not guilty to the charges, when the indictment was read to them in open court, which response led to the request for the selection of the 12 jurors, who will decide whether to convict the defendants or not.