MONROVIA, LIBERIA-Prosecuting lawyers in the ongoing case involving former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Fonati Koffa, and others at Criminal Court A on Monday, December 29, filed a motion to remove five trial jurors from the panel.

The Prosecution alleged that some of the jurors were seen in open court sharing information, communicating, and consulting each other before exchanging questions and notes, while engaging their first witness on the stand, thus terming the act of the jurors as prejudicial.

Prosecution alleged that they have prejudiced the case, and want the court to disband the entire jury, adding that a one point in time, one of the jurors claimed that the footage presented looks like a Chinese national and not one of the defendants as claimed.

However, in resistance, Defense lawyers argued that the prosecution’s motion should be disregarded for several reasons, noting that its misquotations and misstatements, adding that the statement attributed by the Prosecution cannot be the basis of disqualification.

Defense lawyers argued that the said juror or jurors did not commit any offense, and that their comments cannot be applied to the entire jury, describing the allegations against the juror as an attack, and want the judge to deny the aid application and continue with the trial.

Earlier, the Prosecution should have paraded their second witness, but the Judge reserved ruling in the matter for Friday, January 2, 2026, to decide, due to the motion filed.

Cllr. Fonati Koffa and fourteen others are on trial for allegedly burning a portion of the Capitol in December 2024.

They are being charged with multiple crimes, ranging from arson, criminal conspiracy, and criminal attempt to commit murder, among others.

They have since pleaded “not guilty”, thus shifting the burden of proof to the Prosecution to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt.