MONROVIA – When the Liberia National Police (LNP) wrote the House of Representatives requesting seven lawmakers, who it had labelled as ‘Persons of Interests’ in the Capitol Building fire incident to appear for questioning, it was anticipated by Liberians that everyone of them would be given equal and fair treatment because they are all high-profile public officials of the Government of Liberia.
Those invited are former Speaker Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa of Grand Kru District #2, Marvin Cole of Bong County District #3, Dixon Seboe of Montserrado County District #16, Priscilla Cooper of Montserrado County District #5, Abu Kamara of Montserrado County District #15, Jacob C. Debee II of Grand Gedeh County District #3, and Frank Saah Foko of Montserrado County District #9.
There are reports that the LNP, which spearheaded the investigation, had previously suggested that lawmakers from the former ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) were suspects. While details of their alleged roles remained unclear, the investigation shifted its focus to claims of deliberate arson as part of a coordinated plot.
The fire, initially believed to be accidental, caused significant damage to key areas of the Capitol Building, including the Joint Chamber and parts of the fourth floor, with losses estimated at US$8.6 million.
The House of Representatives granted the Liberia National Police request and on Friday, June 6, 2025, the seven lawmakers went to the LNP headquarters on Capitol Hill to cooperate with the police investigation. After hours of stay at the LNP headquarters, two Representatives — Foko and Cole — of Bong County District #3 were told they were free to go and live their normal lives.
Before the close of the day, the LNP in line with the investigation resolved to charge five of the lawmakers for their alleged roles in the Capitol Building fire saga. Those charged include four male lawmakers Cllr. Koffa, Seboe, Kamara and Debee — all the opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), and one female lawmaker, Priscilla Cooper of the ruling Unity Party (UP) Alliance – Liberty Party.
In keeping with the law, the LNP has 72 hours to hold a suspect and conclude investigation before charging them to court. All five lawmakers were then held at the LNP-HQ on Friday to be sent to court on Saturday, May 7, 2025. It was expected that since these alleged suspects were all sitting lawmakers of the House of Representative they would have been turned over to their lawyers on Friday and come to LNP-HQ on Saturday to be sent to court.
While being held at the LNP-HQ news broke out that the only female suspect lawmaker Priscilla Cooper was released to her lawyer at night, while the rest of the four lawmakers were held and slept at the LNP headquarters on Friday night.
Interestingly, Cllr. George B. Kailondo, Sr. who is believed to be one of the lawyers of Rep. Cooper posted on his official Facebook Page the following: “Our country is getting interesting; you charge Hon. Cooper for issuing a Press Release on November 11th and the Joint Chambers got gutted with fire on December 18th when State Securities were in charge of the Capitol building.
“Hon. Cooper is the Sacrificial Lamb of the Ruling Establishment; she is charged so that it can’t be seen that only Opposition Lawmakers were arrested.
“Article 42 protects her. We are not deterred by the Charges; we will prove in Court that she is 100% innocent.”
It can be recalled on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, the opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) issued a strong condemnation of the investigation, describing it “as a politically motivated effort to suppress opposition voices.” During a press conference at the party’s headquarters in Congo Town, CDC Chairman Janga Kowo accused the government of using the fire as a pretext to target opposition lawmakers.
And so, on Saturday, June 7, 2025, when the four lawmakers, including former Speaker Cllr. Koffa, Seboe, Kamara, and Debee — all of the opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), were taken to court based on the charges filed against them by the LNP, Rep. Cooper was not seen with them in the court. Saturday being a day where it was not possible for defense lawyers to obtain a bail-bond, the four male lawmakers were remanded to the Monrovia Central Prison
Controversy began to mount on social media when Representative Cooper of the Liberty Party (UP Alliance) was left off the hook and not remanded at the Monrovia Central Prison like her fellow lawmakers. There was no reason stated publicly why Cooper avoided jail, thus raising sharp questions about judicial fairness and political favoritism.
Some loyal partisans and officials of the governing Unity Party (UP) government were posting misinformation on social media that the four lawmakers were sent to jail because their lawyers failed to file a bail-bond, but it was later clarified by judicial reporters that during the preliminary hearings at the court there was no bail-bond filed by any defense lawyer.
According to defense lawyers, including Cllr. Jonathan Massaquoi, the lawmakers could not secure bail due to the weekend closure of insurance companies, a requirement under Liberian bond procedures.
“All four of our clients are bailable under the law. We fully intend to secure their release first thing Monday,” Cllr. Jonathan Massaquoi – a member of the defense team told reporters at the Temple of Justice grounds. “But as it stands, no insurance firm was open on Saturday to process the bonds.”
In contrast, Rep. Cooper, a high-ranking member of the ruling coalition’s Liberty Party, was reportedly released after presenting a bond – though no official court documentation was made publicly available. Reporters present at the hearing said they were not shown any bond papers, further fueling public suspicion.
To add to the controversy, multiple sources alleged that Cooper did not spend the night in police custody on Friday, unlike her male co-defendants who were detained at Liberia National Police Headquarters. Police officials have not yet addressed the inconsistency, nor explained how Cooper’s bond, if there ever was a bond filed, was processed when other accused lawmakers were told it was not possible over the weekend.
The apparent disparity has drawn backlash from opposition leaders, civil society organizations, and legal analysts, many of whom argue the case underscores a deeper crisis of selective justice under the Unity Party-led government.
“This situation smacks of political privilege,” said one legal expert, speaking on condition of anonymity. “How can one defendant affiliated with the ruling UP alliance be processed and released with no documentation shown, while the others, all opposition members, are left behind bars?”
In a statement Friday, the Liberty Party defended Cooper’s innocence but also criticized the government’s overall approach to the case, describing the late-evening arrests as part of a “troubling pattern” reminiscent of past abuses of power. However, the party has not publicly addressed why Cooper was reportedly spared overnight detention or how her bond was arranged under conditions that were reportedly unavailable to the others.
The Capitol fire probe – linked to a leadership dispute within the House of Representatives -continues to swell through Liberia’s political establishment, turning into one of the most contentious legal and political showdowns in recent memory.
With four sitting lawmakers now at the Central Prison pending their bail-bond on Monday, June 9, 2025 to the court and questions swirling over judicial transparency, the pressure is on the Ministry of Justice and Liberia National Police to clarify the procedures that led to such visibly unequal outcomes.
It can be recalled during the House of Representatives Speakership crisis, Rep. Priscilla Cooper on many occasions crossed carpet to support the rival groups – the Rule of Law Caucus, which supported former House Speaker Koffa and the Majority Bloc, which was heavily backed by the Executive Branch. She was branded by Liberians as a political opportunist for her numerous switching roles during the leadership crisis at the House of Representatives.
Bookmakers are watching keenly to see what unfolds on Monday, when the lawmakers are taken to court to obtain their bail-bond since their crimes are bailable under the Liberian law.
