MONROVIA, Liberia — Prince Johnson, a former Liberian warlord and senator known for his horrific actions during the civil wars, has passed away at 72, as confirmed by local authorities on Thursday.
Johnson gained infamy when he recorded himself indulging in Budweiser while overseeing the brutal mutilation of former President Samuel Doe. Despite his notorious past, he remained involved in politics after the war, securing a senatorial seat in 2006. His death occurred at a hospital in Paynesville, a suburb of the Liberian capital, Monrovia, as stated by Siafa Jallah, the deputy director of press relations in the Liberian senate.
Between 1989 and 2003, Liberia’s civil conflicts brought about massive loss of life, with estimates suggesting around 250,000 fatalities due to rampant killings, torture, and sexual violence. Johnson was identified by the nation’s post-war truth and reconciliation commission as one of the “most notorious perpetrators,” facing grave accusations including murder, extortion, massacre, torture, and sexual assault.
Despite the severe charges, Johnson and seven other leaders of various warring factions were not prosecuted in Liberia. However, some were sentenced abroad, such as former president Charles Taylor, who is currently serving a 50-year prison term in the United Kingdom. Rebel commander Mohammed Jabbateh, who was blamed for horrific acts including the murder of a pregnant woman, received a 30-year sentence in the United States.
Earlier this year, President Joseph Boakai initiated an executive order to establish a long-awaited war crimes tribunal aimed at bringing justice to victims of the civil wars, although the court has yet to be operational. Adama Dempster, a human rights advocate in Liberia, expressed disappointment that Johnson did not testify before the anticipated tribunal before his passing, stating, “It’s sad and has a deep meaning for an accountability process.”
In 1990, at the age of 38, Johnson led a rebel group into Monrovia where they captured and brutally tortured former President Doe on camera. In a shocking display, Johnson was seen relaxing in a chair with his feet on a table, a beer in hand, while his men stripped Doe to his underwear and mutilated him, ultimately leading to his death. Witnesses narrated that Johnson exhibited Doe’s head on a platter following the execution.
In another grim incident, Johnson ordered the execution of a humanitarian worker wearing a Red Cross bib, alleging that the man was exploiting the situation for profit. An Associated Press journalist, who observed this horrific scene, described how the victim briefly pleaded for his life before Johnson callously ended it with gunfire.
After the civil wars ended, Johnson underwent a transformation, becoming a born-again Christian and an ordained minister. He eventually won election as the senator for Nimba County, and Liberia officially prohibited the sale of tapes documenting Doe’s brutal torture, which had previously circulated in the streets.