Magistrate Ben Barco of the Monrovia City Court, on Tuesday, June 24, reserved ruling in the arguments whether the property valuation bond is set for today, June 26, 2025.
The bod was filed to secure the released from the Monrovia Central Prison former House Speaker J. Fonati Koffa and three others lawmakers was valid.
Koffa and co-defendants are charged with arson in connection with the burning of the Capitol Building in December, 2025.
The bond is filed on behalf of the defendants by Joanna Janet Koffa, one of the daughters of defendant Koffa. The valuation of the sureties is over US$80,000, and it jointly owned by Janet and her elder sister, Marjan Mona Koffa.
At Tuesday’s proceedings, Magistrate Barco reserved his ruling, immediately after entertaining legal arguments between prosecution and defense lawyers over the legitimacy of the properties.
“The court reserved ruling for today, Thursday, June 26, 2025, Barco said.
In her justification of the sureties, Janet Koffa said, the properties are located in Ben Town, Marshall and the Dey Gola Chiefdom, Todee District.
She is the general manager of the United Command, Incorporated.
“There are tangible structures erected on the properties. Ben Town, Marshall/RIA highway, and property farm in Todee, one of the properties offered, which is a vacant farm land valued at US$83,000. It is located in Dey Gola Chiefdom, Todee District,” she said.
“We have on the properties with oil palm production, rubbers combined about 100 acres alone with farm houses on the property,” Madam Koffa said, justifying the financial capacity to post the bond.
Prosecution argued that the court should set aside the bogus and worthless bail bond filed by the defendants.
Cllr. Bobby Livingston also ordered the re-arrest of the defendants in that the hearing today, the bond justification, clearly shows that the defendants failed flatly and miserably to justify ill-fated and frivolous criminal appearance bond filed before the court.
While, in counter argument, Cllr. Wilkins Wrights requested the court to grant the motion to justify, and sustain the criminal appearance bond already filed and approved by the court.
” To deny and overruled the exception filled by the prosecution, and most importantly in addition to the bond that you would grant the defendants their constitutional right,” the defense lawyer argued.
On Monday, June 9, 2025, defendants Dixon W. Seboe, Abu B. Kamara, J. Fonati Koffa and Jacob Debe were set free on a US$440,000 property bond after the court accepted and approved the property proffered by the defendants.
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.