Prince Johnson, a former Liberian warlord and influential senator, has passed away.
He died on Thursday at the age of 72.
Known for his key role in Liberia’s brutal civil wars between 1989 and 2003, Johnson’s death was confirmed by officials from his political party and the Senate.
He was said to have died at the Hope for Women Health Centre, according to Wilfred Bangura, a senior official in Johnson’s Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction party.
Johnson gained global notoriety after a harrowing 1990 video showed him sipping beer while his forces tortured and executed then-President Samuel Doe.
The gruesome act, marked one of the early and most brutal chapters of the Liberian civil conflicts, which claimed the lives of approximately 250,000 people and left the nation in economic ruin.
Despite his violent past, Johnson transitioned into politics, becoming one of Liberia’s longest-serving senators.
“Senator Johnson was the longest-serving senator,” said Siaffa Jallah, deputy director of press at the Senate.
Hailing from Nimba County in northern Liberia, Johnson later turned to religion, becoming a preacher in an evangelical church where he maintained a strong following.
His transformation into a religious figure bolstered his popularity, particularly among his regional supporters.
Johnson was also a vocal critic of establishing a tribunal to prosecute crimes committed during Liberia’s civil wars.
His opposition made him a controversial figure, as many called for justice for the atrocities of the past.
His death marks the end of a complex legacy—a former warlord turned preacher and politician who remained a significant, albeit divisive, figure in Liberia’s post-war era.
