Travel restrictions Imposed -As lawmakers face arson charges in connection with December blaze at legislative chambers
A travel restriction has been imposed on former House Speaker J. Fonati Koffa and four other lawmakers facing criminal charges related to an arson attack that destroyed the country's Capitol Building last December.
The Monrovia City Court, presided over by Magistrate L. Ben Barco, granted prosecutors' request over the weekend to issue a writ of Ne-exeat Republica, a legal order preventing the defendants from leaving the country.
The restriction applies to Representatives Koffa, Abu Kamara, Dixon Seboe, Jacob Debee, and Prescilla Cooper.
The Ne exeat Republica writ is a common legal tool used in serious criminal cases to prevent defendants from fleeing the jurisdiction while charges are pending.
The order remains in effect until the court lifts the restriction or the case is resolved. This comes days before their Tuesday release on a property bond.
The court order directs all state security agencies at border crossings, airports, and ports to detain any of the five lawmakers who attempt to leave Liberia.
The travel ban comes after police forwarded the case to court following their investigation into the December 19, 2024, fire that gutted the rotunda of the Capitol Building, which houses the joint chambers of Liberia's Legislature.
The former speaker and his colleagues face multiple felony charges, including arson, criminal attempt to commit murder, criminal facilitation, criminal solicitation, criminal conspiracy, and making false statements to law enforcement officers.
Four of the lawmakers have been detained at the Monrovia Central Prison, while one was released into the custody of their attorney, according to court records.
The Capitol Building fire occurred on December 18, 2024, destroying the legislative chambers and prompting a major investigation by Liberian authorities. Police later found the blaze was an act of arson rather than an accident.
The Capitol Building fire occurred on December 18, 2024, destroying the legislative chambers and prompting a major investigation by Liberian authorities. Police later found the blaze was an act of arson rather than an accident.
The case has drawn significant attention in Liberia, where the Capitol Building serves as a symbol of the country's democratic institutions. The destruction of the legislative chambers has forced lawmakers to find alternative venues for conducting official business.
The defendants' legal teams have not yet publicly commented on the travel restrictions or indicated whether they plan to challenge the court's decision.
The case is expected to proceed through Liberia's judicial system in the coming weeks, with the defendants facing potentially lengthy prison sentences if convicted of the most serious charges.
