Prince Johnson

Prince Yormie Johnson(6 July 1952 – 28 November 2024) was a Liberianwarlordand politician, who served as asenatorforNimba Countyfrom 2006 to 2024. Once a rebel leader, Johnson played a prominent role in theFirst Liberian Civil War.
After previously serving as an officer in theArmed Forces of Liberia, Johnson allied himself withCharles Taylor'sNational Patriotic Front of Liberia(NPFL) rebel group when it launched the First Liberian Civil War in 1989 to overthrow PresidentSamuel Doe. Due to a rift with Taylor, Johnson soon formed an NPFL splinter group, theIndependent National Patriotic Front of Liberia(INPFL), which captured, tortured and executed Doe in 1990.Following continued clashes with Taylor and the pro-DoeULIMOgroup, the INPFL was disbanded and Johnson was forced into exile in Nigeria in 1992, where he converted to Christianity and reconciled with the Doe family.
Johnson returned to Liberia in 2004 following the end of theSecond Liberian Civil Warand was elected to theSenate of Liberiain the2005 Liberian general election. He founded a political party, theNational Union for Democratic Progress(NUDP) in 2010, before being expelled from it in 2014. 
He then founded a new party,Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction(MDR) in 2016. He was thereafter re-elected to the Senate in2014and2023. He was also an unsuccessful candidate for President in2011and2017, respectively finishing in third and fourth place in the first round.
Johnson was born in Tapeta,Nimba County, in the east-central interior of the country, and was brought up by an uncle in the capital city ofMonrovia. In 1971, while living in Monrovia, he joined theLiberian National Guard(LNG), which was transformed into the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) in the aftermath ofSamuel Doe's1980 overthrowof PresidentWilliam R. Tolbert.
He rose to the rank of Lieutenant, receiving military training in both Liberia and the United States, where he was instructed in military police duties in South Carolina. A stern, often draconian, disciplinarian,he served asaide-de-campto Gen.Thomas Quiwonkpa, the Commanding General of theArmed Forces of Liberia,and accompanied him into exile in 1983, after Quiwonkpa was accused of plotting a coup against Doe.
Johnson later allied withCharles Tayloras part of theNational Patriotic Front of Liberia(NPFL), serving as the NPFL's Chief Training Officer.Taylor's fighters crossed the border fromIvory Coastand began operations in Liberia on Christmas Eve, 1989.
An internal power struggle resulted in Johnson breaking off from the Taylor-led NPFL and forming theIndependent National Patriotic Front of Liberia(INPFL). Despite intervention in the civil war by theEconomic Community of West African States Monitoring Group(ECOMOG), INPFL forces captured most of Monrovia in the late summer of 1990.
During the civil war, Johnson was notorious for killing anyone who opposed or criticised his actions. WhenHare Krishnadevotees, who were distributing food to starving people in Monrovia in the midst of the chaos of the civil war, sent him a letter begging him to stop killing people, he personally orchestrated the murder of Hladini devi dasi—born Linda Jury—and five of her students on the bank of theSaint Paul Riveron the night of Thursday, 13 September 1990.
On 9 September 1990, Johnson's supporters abducted PresidentSamuel DoefromECOMOGheadquarters in theMonroviaport district. Doe was tortured and executed in Johnson's custody on 9 September, with the spectacle videotaped and broadcast around the world. The video showed Johnson sipping aBudweiserbeer and being fanned by an assistant as his men cut off Doe's ear.
Johnson later denied killing Doe.
After Doe's death Johnson briefly claimed the presidency of Liberia. Johnson's claim to power ended following the consolidation of rebel power under Charles Taylor. In an attempt by the weak national government to reconstruct Liberian politics, the INPFL was recognised at a conference held inGuinea, whereAmos Sawyerwas elected president.
Johnson was forced to flee to Nigeriato avoid capture by rebel forces supporting Taylor and was not involved in theSecond Liberian Civil War.He lived in Nigeria for 12 years.
While in Nigeria, Johnson became a Christian and reconciled with the Doe family through the intervention of Nigerian pastorT. B. Joshua.
Johnson returned to Liberia in March 2004,following the resignation of Taylor as president and the installation of a transitional government. He stated his intention to return to politics, though he briefly left Liberia again on 7 April due to death threats he had received from theLiberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy(LURD) rebel group. In the2005 general elections, Johnson contested and won aSenateseat representingNimba County. For a period he served as the chair of the Senate's defence committee.
In 2008, Johnson stated that he and Charles Taylor had been solicited to assassinateThomas Sankara, namingBlaise Compaoréas the instigator, with the surety ofFélix Houphouët-Boigny.The investigation conducted since 2015 to clarify the circumstances of this assassination, however, seems to rule out this hypothesis, although doubts persist.
In the June 2009 final report of theTruth and Reconciliation Commission, which was established as part of the 2003 peace deal, the TRC recommended Johnson's inclusion on a list of 50 people who should be "specifically barred from holding public offices; elected or appointed for a period of thirty (30) years" for "being associated with former warring factions."Johnson labelled the recommendation a "joke," noting the absence of several other combatants from the list, and vowed to resist any charges brought as a result of the report.
In January 2011, theSupreme Courtruled inWilliams v. Tah, a case brought by another person recommended for disqualification in the TRC report, that the TRC's recommendation was an unconstitutional violation of the listed individuals' right toprocedural due process, and that it would be unconstitutional for the government to implement the proposed bans.
Johnson ran in Liberia's2011 presidential electionas the candidate of the newly formedNational Union for Democratic Progressparty. He placed third, with 11.6% of the vote; the election was won by the country's previous president,Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
Ahead of the2014 Senate election, Johnson was expelled from the NUDP.Johnson won re-election to the Senate as anindependent.
By 2017, Johnson formed a new party, theMovement for Democracy and Reconstruction(MDR).Johnson contested the presidency with the party in the2017 election.Johnson supportedCoalition for Democratic Change(CDC) candidateGeorge Weahin the subsequent run-off election.Weah was ultimately elected president.
On 9 December 2021, Johnson was sanctioned by theUnited States Department of Treasuryfor alleged political corruption, claiming he would sell votes in elections for financial gains.
Towards the ending of 2022, Johnson withdrew his support for President Weah and the CDC. Johnson cited the lack of Nimba County representation in top appointed positions.In December 2022, Johnson resigned as head of the MDR.In an MDR convention on 22 December, SenatorJeremiah Koungwas elected standard bearer.As standard bearer, Koung continued Johnson's policy of opposing the CDC.
In the 2023 Senate election, Johnson was re-elected with the MDR.
Johnson died in a hospital inPaynesville,Montserradoon 28 November 2024, at the age of 72.He was granted a five-daystate funeraland was buried at thePYJ Polytechnic Universitynamed after him inGanta,Nimba Countyon 18 January 2025.Current Liberian PresidentJoseph Boakaiand former Liberian PresidentGeorge Weahattended his funeral.