Prosecution has Challenged the US$440,000 properties bond former House Speaker, J. Fonati Koffa, and three of his colleagues.
The other three lawmakers accused in the December burning of the Capitol Building are Dixon Seboe, Abu Kamara and Jacob Debe.
Prosecution filed the petition before Criminal Court ‘A’ Judge Roosevelt Z. Willie on Tuesday, June 17, 2025.
In their plead, the government lawyers said, the defendants’ lawyers should appear in open court to justify their said bond or else, the judge should deny the bond.
On that argument, Judge Willie reassigned the hearing for today, Wednesday, June, 18, for both the parties to argue.
It can be re-called that the Monrovia City Court handed down its much-anticipated ruling that the government established a prima facie case against Koffa and other accused lawmakers.
Magistrate L. Ben Barco, in his ruling on Friday, June 13, 2025, said the sole issue for the determination of the case is whether or not prosecution did establish a prima facie case, such that the defendants can be held to further answer to the crimes as charged.
Before answering the legal question, the magistrate looked at the applicable laws instructive on the
matter and the facts.
According to the magistrate, Section 12.2 of the Criminal Procedure Law provides that “the accused shall be afforded a preliminary examination after his/her first appearance before the magistrate or justice of the peace. If the magistrate or justice of the peace determines that a prima facie case has been established against the accused, the magistrate or justice of the peace… shall hold him/her to answer.”
Prima facie case is evidence sufficient to establish the fact unless rebutted. That presupposes that all prosecution needs to establish is that a crime was committed, and that it is likely that the accused might have committed the crime.
Magistrate Barco said the allegations in this complaint are that the defendants through telephone conversations and other means, criminally connived, conspired, sponsored and purchased explosives, including gasoline which were used to set ablaze the Joint Chambers of the Capitol Building.
Madam Jonda Janet Koffa and Marjan Mona Koffa
are the owners of the properties amounting to US$440, 000 offered as security for said Criminal Appearance Bond that released the defendants from jail.
The property bond by the defendants was received by Daniel Y. McGill
Clerk of Court on
Monday, June 9, 2025
at 11:05 a.m., and approved by the Magistrate Barco.
Senator Nathaniel McGill, Representatives Musa Hassan Bility, Frank Saah Foko, and Yekeh Kolubah, were all at the Monrovia City Court to secure the release of the defendants.