Monrovia — The high-profile arson trial involving former Speaker Fonati Koffa and six other defendants -- including three sitting lawmakers -- took a dramatic turn on Tuesday when dozens of prospective jurors were rejected by both the prosecution and the defense.

According to court officials, many of those rejected were deemed to have demonstrated signs of bias, leading lawyers on both sides to conclude that their inclusion could jeopardize the fairness of the trial.

Despite the mass rejection, seven jurors were successfully selected and sequestered in the basement of the Temple of Justice, where they will remain while the selection of the remaining five jurors and six alternates continues.

The development comes a day after the defendants appeared before Criminal Court 'A', where they pleaded not guilty to charges linking them to the December 18, 2024 arson attack on the Capitol Building.

The case, brought by the Ministry of Justice, was formally taken up by Judge Roosevelt Z. Willie following months of legal disputes surrounding the gathering and admissibility of evidence.

During Monday's proceedings, the indictment was publicly read in court, and each of the defendants reaffirmed their not-guilty plea. Their plea prompted the court to begin the empaneling of a 12-member jury that will ultimately determine their guilt or innocence.

Jury selection is expected to continue until a full panel, along with alternates, is confirmed.