Defense lawyers representing former House Speaker Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa and co-defendants in the ongoing Capitol Building arson trial have filed a motion requesting the court to dismiss several pieces of evidence presented by the prosecution. The defense argues that the evidence in question lacks a proper chain of custody and should therefore not be admitted.
The motion, submitted to Criminal Court “A” at the Temple of Justice, claims that the prosecution has failed to properly document and trace how key evidentiary items—allegedly linking the defendants to the fire incident at the Capitol—were handled from the crime scene to the courtroom. “The state’s evidence was introduced without credible documentation showing who collected, stored, or transported these items. This raises serious concerns about potential tampering, contamination, or fabrication,” the defense team stated in their filing.
Among the challenged materials are surveillance footage, the search and seizure of the defendants' phones, and a gasoline container reportedly recovered near the scene. The defense also raised concerns about the involvement of the National Security Agency (NSA) in this matter, alleging that some defendants were coerced into providing evidence, which they characterized as inadmissible.
Author: Melvin Jackson
