By Sidiki Fofana | Truth in Ink
The arrest of former House Speaker J. Fonati Koffa on charges of arson and conspiracy related to the December 2024 fire at the Capitol Building has ignited more than public outrage, it has reopened a long-standing wound in Liberia’s democratic journey: the politicization of justice.
To some, Koffa’s arrest is a long-overdue act of accountability, a bold move by the Boakai administration to prove that no one is above the law. To others, it reeks of revenge politics, a well-worn tactic in Liberia’s history where the strong arm of justice seems to only reach those out of power.
The truth may lie somewhere in between. But we cannot afford to ignore the larger pattern.
A Familiar Script
Liberia has seen this before: legal charges trailing political downfalls like shadows. From Charles Gyude Bryant to Brownie Samukai, and even as far back as Tubman’s persecution of Didwho Twe and Botoe, prosecution has often followed, not preceded political irrelevance.
Under Weah, the impeachment of Justice Ja’neh set off alarm bells about creeping authoritarianism cloaked in legal form. Now, in 2025, the script seems to be flipping again, this time under a Unity Party-led administration.
What Makes Koffa’s Case Different?
The charges are serious. The Capitol fire disrupted national governance and endangered lives. The police claim the fire was no accident, and that Koffa and other CDC lawmakers facilitated it. If proven, it would be nothing short of treasonous behavior.
But justice cannot just be about fact, it must also be about perception. And in Liberia, public perception is shaped by history. That history teaches us to see selective prosecution, not impartial justice. It teaches us to ask why similar urgency is never directed toward ruling party insiders, some of whom carry unresolved allegations of corruption and abuse.
Irony or Karma?
There’s no denying the symbolism here. Koffa, once the prosecutor in the high-profile Sable Mining probe, now faces the dock himself. He has walked the corridors of power, serve as Deputy Speaker, Speaker , chaired committees, prosecutor , and helped shape the very laws that will now judge him.
But that’s exactly why his case is a litmus test. Not just for Koffa, but for the Boakai administration, for the judiciary, and for a justice system still limping under the weight of political interference.
The Real Danger
The danger isn’t that Koffa might escape justice. The danger is that even if he is guilty, the process may still be seen as political.
And when justice loses legitimacy in the eyes of the people, even lawful convictions look like vendettas. That’s how democracies corrode, not with a bang, but with a whisper of bias.
What Boakai Must Do
If the president is serious about reform, then the law must be applied evenly. It must reach across party lines, across friendships, across time. Koffa’s prosecution cannot be the end, it must be the beginning of a wider reckoning, one that includes allies as well as opponents.
Otherwise, Liberia risks turning another trial into another performance. And our justice system deserves better than that.
Editorial Note:
Sidiki Fofana writes the Truth in Ink column on justice, memory, and accountability in Liberia’s democracy.
