Africa-Press – Liberia. Normal working and academic activities on Capitol Hill in Monrovia were disrupted on Monday following heightened security measures by state security forces.
The deployment followed a pronouncement by former President George Weah announcing his intention to appear at the Monrovia City Court in solidarity with several lawmakers scheduled to appear in court.
The lawmakers — Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa (Grand Kru County, District 2), Abu B. Kamara (Montserrado County, District 15), Dixon Seboe (Montserrado County, District16), Priscilla Cooper (Montserrado County, District 5), and Jacob Debee (Grand Gedeh County, District 3) — were formally charged with arson, criminal facilitation, and criminal conspiracy in connection with a fire that destroyed the Joint Chambers of the Capitol Building on December 18, 2023.
Four of the lawmakers were detained for two nights at the Monrovia Central Prison, while Representative Cooper was released into her lawyer’s custody on medical grounds. All five were expected to appear in court on Monday.
Ahead of the appearance, former President Weah, along with opposition leaders Alexander Cummings of the Alternative National Congress (ANC) and Dee-Maxwell Kemayah of the Movement for Economic Empowerment (MOVEE), called on their supporters to join them at the court in a show of solidarity.
The announcement triggered significant security preparations. Officers of the Liberia National Police, the Police Support Unit, and the Liberia Immigration Service were deployed across Capitol Hill. Security forces controlled access to government buildings and streets, issuing instructions such as “Keep moving,” “No loitering,” and “Show your ID.”
Many citizens without official identification or valid reasons for entering government facilities were turned away. Government employees, including ministers, were seen using commercial vehicles and tricycles instead of their official vehicles, reportedly as a precaution to prevent damage to government property in case of unrest.
The security measures also impacted academic institutions and businesses. The Soltiamon Christian School System suspended academic activities at several campuses in Monrovia and surrounding areas. Businesses on Capitol Hill and Bushrod Island either delayed opening or remained closed for the morning.
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