“Koon’s Legal Team Takes Stand in Supreme Court, Seeks Dismissal of Koffa’s Controversial Bill”

Lawyers representing the Majority Bloc Speaker of the House of Representatives, Richard Koon, have urged the Supreme Court of Liberia to dismiss the Bill of Information filed by embattled Speaker J. Fonati Koffa and his team. They also called for sanctions to be imposed on Koffa and his allies. 

In their response, filed on Friday, March 14, 2025, the respondents' lawyers argued that the Supreme Court should refrain from intervening in the House of Representatives' internal matters. They asserted that the judiciary has its own rules and penalties for governing the conduct of judges and lawyers who violate judicial canons. They further emphasized that the Court's involvement in internal disciplinary actions against House members contravenes Article 3 of the Liberian Constitution, which upholds the doctrine of Separation of Powers. 

According to the lawyers, the Supreme Court's inquiries into disciplinary actions taken against members who have been afforded "due process" violate constitutional principles. 

"Respondents have not violated the order or mandate of Your Honors' Opinion and Judgment of December 6, 2024, in the Constitutionality Case. The Amended Bill of Information is meritless, unfounded, and frivolous. We therefore pray that the Court denies it," the respondents stated. 

The filing also addressed Koffa’s refusal to vacate his office after being asked to remove his belongings. Koffa allegedly insisted that his removal was illegal and unconstitutional, challenging the respondents to follow the same "unconstitutional" processes to evict him from the Speaker's office. 

The lawyers clarified that the office space, owned by the Liberian Government, is assigned to the officeholder, and the government retains the authority to reassign it. 

Additionally, the respondents argued that Koffa violated ECOWAS Protocols by appointing allies to the ECOWAS Parliament without proper elections by the House of Representatives. While respondents attempted to correct this irregularity, ECOWAS clarified that once representatives are sworn in, they cannot be replaced during their term. 

Accusing Koffa of "dictatorial tendencies" and resisting investigations into corruption and mismanagement allegations, the respondents urged the Supreme Court to deliver a definitive ruling that precludes further ambiguity. They stated that Koffa's actions have disrupted the House of Representatives, threatening its functionality. 

The respondents concluded by appealing to the Supreme Court for a clear, unequivocal judgment to prevent any future misuse of judicial processes to obstruct legislative operations.