I’m innocent

Embattled House Speaker Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa has reiterated his claim of innocence in relation to the ongoing investigation into the Capitol Building fire incident.

Monrovia, January 24, 2025/In a post on his official Facebook page hours after authorities at the Liberia National Police listed him among several lawmakers identified as persons of interest in the ongoing investigation, the embattled Speaker insists that he is innocent.

“I must reiterate that I am and remain absolutely innocent of any involvement in this event,” Cllr. Koffa wrote, adding, “I again encourage the authorities to seek international partners’ assistance to ensure a fair and impartial investigation.”

Embattled Speaker Koffa, who is currently out of the country, further stated: “I understand that by a communication with the House of Representatives majority bloc, the Liberia National Police has invited me and others to assist in the investigation of the fire incident.

Since the unfortunate occurrence of this event, I have consistently cooperated and ensured the cooperation of all persons under my employ,” he argued, insinuating that there was no need to invite him and others through the opposing bloc.

The Police invited Cllr. Koffa, along with Representatives. Saah Foko, Abu B. Kamara, Priscilla A. Cooper, J. Malvin Cole, and Jacob Debee are all members of his minority bloc.

Fire gutted the Rotunda of the Capitol Building here early Wednesday morning, December 18, 2024. The Rotunda is the Joint Chambers of the Liberian Legislature. Until what has now been confirmed as an arson attack, it was being used by members of the majority bloc from the House.

The fire incident occurred in the wake of an unresolved political turmoil between members of a majority bloc led by Representative Richard N. Koon on the one hand and a minority bloc headed by embattled House Speaker Fonati Koffa.

A day after the incident, Col. Coleman announced the arrest of 73 persons who were part of an Antti-government demonstration at the Capitol a day before the fire incident in addition to a dozen others considered persons of interest among them was Representative Frank Saah Foko, who embattled House Speaker Koffa also accompanied.

The LNP invitation

Fast forward, in a letter dated January 21, 2025, addressed to Majority House Leader Richard N. Koon, Police Inspector General Col. Gregory Coleman explained that the embattled Speaker Koffa and the listed members of his minority bloc’s insight into the fire incident could be crucial to uncovering the circumstances surrounding the incident.

“Given the sensitive nature of this investigation and the need for transparency, we would like to inform you that we have identified members of your House of Representatives as persons of interest to this ongoing investigation and will be calling them for questioning,” Col. Coleman wrote.

Col. Coleman further noted that the LNP is committed to conducting the investigation professionally to ensure that all individuals’ rights are respected.

“We are confident that the cooperation of the House of Representatives will significantly enhance our effort to prevent future occurrence of such incidents.

Col. Coleman: “We respectfully request a meeting with the identified representative at a convenient time to discuss the terms and framework of their participation I n this investigation. The LNP is prepared to provide any necessary support and coordinate closely with your office to ensure a smooth and effective process.”

Background

Police Inspector General Coleman’s letter to the House’s Majority bloc leader requesting to speak with embattled Speaker Koffa and his supporters follows his recent pronouncement at a joint press briefing that the police have sufficient evidence to speak to facilitation, conspiracy and execution thereof. He says this evidence could prove that the burning of the capitol building was a result of arson.

“At this point, we are here to officially inform the nation that we have sufficient evidence to call the act at the Capitol Building an act of arson,” Police Inspector General Col. Gregory Coleman told journalists here on Wednesday.

“Those people of interest have been reached and sent clear messages to come in and continue the investigation, and if they don’t show up, they will be arrested. We will not tolerate such lawlessness,” IG Coleman added.

“Those who did the act know themselves,” he said, “and so, I hope that they will start to come in because, if they don’t come or corporate, we will go for them,” Col. Coleman went on.

The Investigation

Col Coleman narrated that as part of the investigation, which was jointly conducted by the police and the National Fire Service, the team analyzed the electrical system of the Capitol Building and found out that it had an automatic breaker system. The breaker switches off and shuts down the power system in the building whenever there is a shock.

He argued that up to the time the building was still in flames, the breaker did not switch off, instead it was still supplying power to the building. Col. Colman said this alone dismissed the fear of an electrical shock.

He explained that another thing investigators found out, which led to them dismissing the electrical shock fear, was that the smoke of the fire was consistent with an arson attack because it (smoke) was heavy and thick black.

Expanding on the investigation, Fire Chief Barwoul disclosed that the color of the flame on that day and the movements of the fire in separate directions of the smoke led investigators to conclude it was an arsonist attack.

The Fire Chief further explained that evidence gathered from the scene by the Liberia Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Liberia Petroleum Refining Corporation (LPRC) and their forensic team shows a container that had a flammable substance within it on the scene.

Foreign experts

Col. Coleman revealed during the briefing that the government had invited foreign experts to investigate the evidence.

“So, the scene is still preserved just as it was,” he said, adding, “When the foreign experts come, they will put the icing on the cake (he suggests that the foreign experts will agree with their preliminary findings). However, from the day that incident occurred and based on the expertise on the ground, we knew that the occurrence was consistent with that of arson,” Col. Coleman said.

He noted that the final investigation is also being done in line with criminal investigation. “In this investigation, we have sufficient evidence to speak to facilitation, conspiracy, and execution thereof, which we have evidence that the burning is arson’’ he stated.

Commenting on the question regarding the names of persons of interest, he said that the investigation is classified for now, and they can’t disclose names, but that will be done based on the National Security Council.

“We will brief you all again fully when the briefing has been done at the level of the National Security Council, and some of our findings are declassified, and we will be able to give them out to the press,” he said. -Story  by Othello B. Garblah