Seven jurors have been selected and sequestered from a panel of fifteen at Criminal Court “A” within the Temple of Justice as the high-profile Capitol Building Arson Trial enters a critical phase.
Jury sequestration, an uncommon measure reserved for sensitive cases-isolates jurors from public and media influence to ensure impartiality throughout the proceedings.
On Tuesday, November 18, 2025, the courtroom of Criminal Court “A” was a scene of intense activity during the selection of prospective jurors in the Capitol Building Arson Trial.
Throughout the process, defense lawyers and prosecutors questioned each candidate, assessing whether they could read and write, and asking them to read excerpts from a newspaper to evaluate their comprehension. Several prospective jurors were disqualified due to personal ties with either the defendants or parties involved in the case.
After several hours of examination, both sides agreed on seven jurors out of the fifteen-member panel, leaving eight more seats to be filled. Once selected, the jurors were escorted home to collect personal belongings before returning to the court, where they were placed under sequestration for the duration of the trial.
During questioning, one rejected juror disclosed that he attends the same church as Representative Dixon Seboe, who serves as an elder there, an admission establishing direct contact with a defendant and grounds for disqualification under Liberia’s new jury law.
Another prospective juror revealed she has a personal relationship with former House Speaker J. Fonati Koffa, including access to his personal contacts, which also warranted removal from the panel.
On Monday, November 17, 2025, Koffa, along with Abu B. Kamara, Dixon W. Seboe, Jacob Debee, and several other defendants, pleaded “Not Guilty” to charges linked to the December 18, 2024 burning of the Capitol Building.
The indictment includes Arson, Criminal Mischief, Endangering Other Persons, and Attempted Murder.
Earlier this year, Judge Roosevelt Z. Willie denied a defense motion to suppress evidence.
In response, Koffa and others petitioned the Supreme Court of Liberia with a Writ of Certiorari seeking review of the lower court’s ruling.
The jury selection process is expected to continue on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, at the Temple of Justice in Monrovia.
