{"id":267951,"date":"2024-12-19T12:15:18","date_gmt":"2024-12-19T12:15:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2024\/12\/19\/embattled-liberian-speaker-questioned-by-police-over-parliament-fire\/"},"modified":"2024-12-19T12:15:18","modified_gmt":"2024-12-19T12:15:18","slug":"embattled-liberian-speaker-questioned-by-police-over-parliament-fire","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2024\/12\/19\/embattled-liberian-speaker-questioned-by-police-over-parliament-fire\/","title":{"rendered":"Embattled Liberian speaker questioned by police over parliament fire"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\"Authorities Authorities have offered a cash reward for more information about the fire<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The embattled speaker of Liberia’s House of Representatives has been questioned by the police after a huge fire at the West African nation’s legislature.<\/p>\n

Residents of the capital Monrovia woke up on Wednesday morning to see thick black smoke and flames rising from the Capitol building.<\/p>\n

The flames destroyed the entire joint chambers of the legislature, but no-one was in the building at the time.<\/p>\n

Four individuals, including Speaker Jonathan Fonati Koffa and Representative Frank Saah Foko, have been brought in for questioning, Liberia’s police chief Gregory Colman said.<\/p>\n

The fire occurred a day after plans to remove Koffa from his speaker role sparked a tense protest.<\/p>\n

Several demonstrators, including an aide to former President George Weah, were arrested during Tuesday’s protest.<\/p>\n

Representative Foko, a prominent figure in the House of Representatives, allegedly uploaded a video onto Facebook in which he said: “If they want us to burn the chambers, we will burn it.”<\/p>\n

Police chief Coleman said: “Representative Foko made a threat that he would burn the joint Chambers and just a day after, it was burned. So he needs to clarify his statement.”<\/p>\n

Coleman said Koffa must also explain a Facebook post he made during the protests.<\/p>\n

Neither Foko or Koffa have responded publicly to Coleman’s comments.<\/p>\n

The government has offered a $5,000 (\u00a33,900) reward for more information about the fire.<\/p>\n

President Joseph Boakai has expressed disappointment over the incident and ordered the security agencies to investigate.<\/p>\n

Liberia’s House of Representatives has been beset by a power struggle, in which a faction of lawmakers claims to have removed and replaced Speaker Koffa.<\/p>\n

Another group has resisted the action, calling it unconstitutional.<\/p>\n

A Supreme Court ruling has failed to solve the internal dispute.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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