By Jacqueline Dennis
MONROVIA – With claims and counterclaims, the disappearance of the chairs of both the Speaker and Deputy Speaker from their regular positions in the Joint Chamber before the December 18, 2024 fire incident, has drawn the attention of the public. Folks are wondering how did the Speaker and Deputy Speaker’s seats disappear from the Joint Chamber before the fire incident. This issue has remained unresolved.
As the confusion over who was the legitimate Speaker of the House of Representatives continued between the so-called “Majority bloc” and “Minority bloc”, Liberians woke up with a shock to see the Capitol Building set ablaze by unknown individuals.
The alleged arson at the Capitol caused the Liberian National Police (LNP) to launch an investigation. During the investigation, some citizens and five lawmakers were arrested as persons of interest. The lawmakers, including the former Speaker of the House of Representatives Cllr. Jonathan Fonati Koffa, Representatives Dixon Seboe, Jacob Debee, Abu Kamara and Prescilla Abram Cooper, are said to be the masterminds behind the plot.
In the indictment it is alleged that these lawmakers facilitated and supported the other defendants also charged along with them, to commit the crimes. But how did the lawmakers support or facilitate the alleged crime, was not clear within the indictment.
They all were charged for multiple offenses ranging from Arson, Criminal Conspiracy, Criminal Solicitation, Criminal Attempt to Commit Murder, among others.
However, the Resident Circuit Court Judge Roosevelt Willie of Criminal Court “A” at the Temple of Justice in Monrovia is expected to preside over the case during the August Term of Court.
Still on is the disappearance of the original seats of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker being removed before the fire incident. The chairs later surfaced downstairs, and they were allegedly seen in Rep. James Kolleh’s office, who is currently the Chair of Rules, Order, and Administration of the “Minority bloc.” But it was later found in the warehouse of the Legislature.
Before the incident on December 18, 2024, the Liberia National Police on November 10, 2024, took charge of security at the Capitol Building. The issues of the removal of the chairs from their regular positions in the Joint Chamber remained unknown, while the report from the investigation of LNP did not indicate how this seat was removed but captured other matters, something that should’ve been a part of the investigation.
