Former Liberian Warlord Prince Johnson Dies at 72

Written by Jerry Alomatu on November 28, 2024

News Views: 311

Prince Johnson, a former Liberian warlord and key figure in the country’s brutal civil wars, has passed away at the age of 72. His death was confirmed on Thursday by officials from his party and the Liberian Senate.

Johnson, who was a prominent senator and leader of the Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR), became infamous for his role in the 1990 execution of then-President Samuel Doe, which was captured in a disturbing video showing Johnson sipping beer while his fighters tortured Doe to death. This event marked a bloody beginning to Liberia’s two civil wars, which lasted from 1989 to 2003 and led to the deaths of around 250,000 people.

“Senator Johnson was the longest-serving senator,” said Siaffa Jallah, deputy director of press at the Senate.

He passed away at Hope for Women Health Centre, with Wilfred Bangura, a senior official in his party, confirming the news.

Johnson, originally from the northern Nimba region, later turned to evangelical preaching and gained significant popularity in Liberia. Despite his warlord past, he became a leading opponent to the creation of a tribunal to try those responsible for war crimes committed during the conflict.