Liberia ex-speaker and MPs freed on bail over parliament fire

Four Liberian lawmakers, including former Speaker Jonathan Fonati Koffa, have been released on bail after being charged in connection with the fire that gutted the country’s parliament building in December.

Koffa, along with Representatives Abu Kamara, Dixon Seboe and Jacob Debee, was freed from Monrovia Central Prison after paying a bond of £325,000 ($440,000).

The four face charges including arson, criminal mischief, attempted murder, and other alleged offences.

The charges stem from a massive fire that broke out at the Capitol building on 18 December, a day after protests erupted over plans to remove Koffa as speaker. No one was in the building at the time, but police say the damage is estimated at $8.6 million.

Police said on Friday that there were "credible links" suggesting Koffa was "strategically involved" in the incident. Koffa has previously denied any role in the fire.

Kamara, Seboe and Debee, all members of the opposition Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) party, were arrested with Koffa on Friday.

They were held at the national police headquarters for a night before being moved to Monrovia Central Prison, where they spent two more nights.

Representative Priscilla Cooper has also been charged in the case, but was not taken into custody due to poor health. The court has barred all the accused from leaving the country until the case is resolved.

Tensions had been building ahead of the fire, with protests breaking out in Monrovia on 17 December. Among those arrested was an aide to former President George Weah.

Police also questioned several individuals, including Koffa and Representative Frank Saah Foko. Foko had allegedly posted a video on Facebook declaring: "If they want us to burn the chambers, we will burn it."

The incident comes amid a long-running power struggle in Liberia’s House of Representatives.

In October, 47 lawmakers attempted to impeach Koffa, accusing him of corruption, poor leadership and conflict of interest. Although they failed to secure the two-thirds majority needed, they went on to appoint their own speaker.

Koffa later resigned last month after months of political tension.