Tensions are rising between Criminal Court 'A' Judge Roosevelt Willie and the families of six defendants jailed in connection with the December 2024 arson attack on the Capitol Building. The families are demanding Judge Willie's recusal from the case, citing concerns over alleged bias and the imposition of what they describe as excessive bail conditions.
The six defendants--Christian Kofa, John Nyanti, Eric Susay, Thomas Isaac Etheridge, Stephen Broh, and Gabriel Fansieh--have been held at the Monrovia Central Prison for eight months. Though Judge Willie recently approved a joint property valuation bond of US$500,000, backed by sureties Randolph S. Cole and Rufina J. Cole, he has conditioned their release on the presentation of four human sureties each -- a requirement the families argue is unconstitutional.
The defendants were indicted alongside four lawmakers, including former Speaker Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa, Rep. Abu Kamara (Montserrado District #15), Rep. Dixon Wlawlee Seboe (Montserrado District #16), and Rep. Jacob C. Deebie (Grand Gedeh District #3). These lawmakers were earlier released on a similar US$440,000 property bond without the requirement of human sureties.
Family members of the six remaining detainees say the judge's conditions are discriminatory and violate Article 21 of the Liberian Constitution, which prohibits excessive bail and guarantees the right to release on personal recognizance or sufficient sureties, except in cases involving capital or grave offenses.
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"After the judge approved the bond, we complied and presented ourselves as human sureties," said one family member. "But he asked for our passports and National Identification Cards. Then he rejected the ID cards because they had expired."
Another relative added, "This judge has already made up his mind. He is treating the defendants as guilty even before the trial begins."
The families claim Judge Willie's handling of the bail process reflects personal bias, and they have instructed their lawyers to file a motion demanding his recusal.
When contacted, defense lawyers confirmed they are considering such a motion but did not indicate when it would be filed. Meanwhile, Judge Willie is scheduled to hear a prosecution motion today objecting to the bail on grounds that the defendants pose a flight risk.
The defendants face serious charges stemming from the December 18, 2024 fire that destroyed major portions of the Capitol Building, including the Joint Chamber and the dome. Authorities estimate the damage at US$1.8 million.
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According to the indictment, the attack was a calculated attempt to destabilize the government. Eric Susay, a former elevator operator at the Legislature, and Thomas Isaac Etheridge, a maintenance director, are accused of playing central roles in coordinating the attack. The case against them reportedly includes surveillance footage, electronic communications, and eyewitness testimony.
The indictment also links the defendants to violent protests a day before the fire, when Susay allegedly led demonstrators demanding due process for Speaker Koffa, who was facing removal. The protest escalated into violence, including an alleged assault on a Police Support Unit officer, Sgt. Amara Bility, later that same day in Jallah Town.
Despite being charged under the same indictment, the lawmakers named in the case are out on bond, while the remaining six remain in detention due to the unresolved dispute over bail conditions.
"Our question is simple," said one family member. "If the court accepted property bond for the lawmakers, why is it now demanding four human sureties each for these other defendants? This is not justice. It's punishment before trial."
As legal wrangling continues, the dispute over Judge Willie's impartiality is shaping into a defining issue for one of the most politically charged criminal cases in recent memory.
