Former House Speaker Cllr. Jonathan Fonati Koffa and 14 co-defendants appeared before Criminal Court ‘A’ on Monday, November 17, 2025, where they were formally presented with indictments tied to the alleged arson attack on the Capitol Building.
All 15 defendants entered not-guilty pleas to the charges, which state prosecutors say link them to the incident.
Before the indictments were read, the defense requested that the case be tried before a jury.
After outlining the accusations, prosecutors argued that the group played a direct role in the alleged attack.
Defense lawyers, however, rejected the claims, maintaining that none of the defendants were involved.
Resident Judge Roosevelt Z. Willie subsequently scheduled the start of jury selection for Tuesday at 9:30 a.m., following a series of pretrial motions filed by the state.
Speaking to journalists outside the courtroom, Cllr. Koffa labeled the charges as politically driven, reaffirming his innocence and pledging to fight the allegations vigorously with the support of his legal team.
The case continues to attract public interest as it enters the next stage of court proceedings.
