MONROVIA – The Monrovia Metropolis Court docket has denied a movement filed by attorneys representing former Home Speaker J. Fonati Koffa and three different lawmakers searching for to dismiss legal prices stemming from alleged misconduct on the Capitol Constructing.
By Willie N. Tokpah
The ruling, delivered on Friday, June 13, adopted a week-long preliminary listening to throughout which each the prosecution’s proof and the protection’s arguments have been examined.
Presiding Choose Ben Barco dominated that the movement lacked enough authorized grounds to terminate the case at this stage, thus clearing the best way for the matter to proceed to trial.
“The problems raised by the protection are issues finest left for a jury trial. This courtroom finds that the prosecution has met the edge to proceed,” Choose Barco said in his ruling.
The case has now been licensed to Felony Court docket “A,” the place the defendants are anticipated to be formally indicted within the coming days.
The fees stem from a months-long investigation into an incident on the Capitol Constructing involving alleged arson, obstruction of justice, and financial sabotage.
Former Speaker Koffa, together with three different lawmakers—whose names haven’t but been formally launched—has been accused of both orchestrating or being complicit in actions deemed legal underneath Liberian regulation.
Previous to the preliminary listening to, Koffa was scheduled to seem earlier than the Liberia Nationwide Police for questioning. He was subsequently arrested and detained earlier than being launched on bond together with the opposite defendants.
The proceedings have been marked by threats of mass protest from political sympathizers, elevating early issues about potential political interference within the authorized course of.
Regardless of the heightened rigidity, the Metropolis Court docket moved ahead with preliminary hearings, throughout which the prosecution introduced what it described as prima facie proof linking the lawmakers to the alleged offenses.
In response, the protection filed a movement to dismiss, arguing that the fees have been baseless and politically motivated.
After reviewing arguments from either side, Choose Barco dominated in favor of the prosecution, forwarding the matter to Felony Court docket “A” for additional proceedings.
The indictment section is predicted to start shortly.
