The final rites for the late Senator Prince Yormie Johnson on January 18, 2025, turned into a platform for the Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR) to make a bold and controversial claim regarding the Senator’s passing.
Czar Mabulu Palay, MDR’s youth chairman, stirred emotions at the funeral by asserting that the Senator’s death was linked to the immense pressure surrounding the establishment of a war crimes court for Liberia.
Speaking passionately at the ceremony, Palay stated, “I bet on it, and let me say it plainly: Senator Prince Johnson died as a result of the pressure that came with the war crimes court discussions.” He recounted a conversation with the late Senator before he signed the resolution to create such a court. According to Palay, the Senator expressed exhaustion over the mounting calls for justice, remarking that his people had suffered immensely during the 1990s and that he could no longer bear the constant demand for accountability.
“He told us that his people were slaughtered like animals during the war. He was tired of being provoked daily by calls for the war crimes court,” Palay recalled. “At that moment, he said if they wanted to kill him, he would accept his fate; such was his frustration.” These words from the MDR representative painted a picture of a man weighed down by the demands for justice for which many felt he was responsible.
Palay, speaking in a mix of anger and sorrow, remarked that when they had seen Johnson’s body on the day of his death, the Senator reportedly expressed a sense of fulfillment. “My mission is over,” Palay quoted Johnson as saying. “You should be brave now; my mission is finished.”
The emotional tribute cast a shadow over the memorial service, as Palay claimed that Johnson’s death was, in fact, a direct result of the pressure he had faced regarding the war crimes court. He stressed that the late Senator had died under the burden of the stress created by his reluctant involvement in the court’s creation. “We believe, and we stand by it, that he died because of the immense pressure surrounding the court issue,” Wollo stated firmly.
The conversation that Wollo referred to occurred shortly after Senator Johnson agreed to sign the resolution for establishing a war crimes court, which had long been debated in Liberia. The resolution, passed by the Liberian Senate in April 2024, had been a point of contention for many, especially those with ties to the former warlords, including Johnson himself. As the leader of the infamous Independent National Patriotic Front of Liberia (INPFL), Johnson had been deeply opposed to the establishment of the court, fearing the prosecution of former combatants.
However, in an unexpected move, Johnson signed the resolution, signaling a change in his stance. In interviews after signing, Johnson explained his previous opposition, citing concerns over the potential violation of the Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA) and the growing pressure from international entities and Liberian civil society for the court’s establishment.
Despite the Senator’s own acknowledgment of his change in position, Wollo’s remarks at the funeral took a starkly different tone, attributing Johnson’s eventual decision to personal distress rather than a principled shift in his beliefs. Wollo highlighted the emotional toll on Johnson, describing him as a man who had seen the horrors of war only to be thrust into the difficult position of facing those who demanded accountability for the atrocities committed during the civil conflict.
While the claims made by the MDR have yet to be confirmed, they have certainly stirred a public debate over the underlying pressures that Johnson and other former warlords may have faced in the face of Liberia’s ongoing quest for justice. For many, Johnson’s legacy will forever be tied to the atrocities committed during Liberia’s brutal civil wars. The establishment of a war crimes court has been a long-standing call from victims’ groups, and for some, the court represents an opportunity for closure and accountability.
Despite the MDR’s claims, some believe the call for justice and establishing a war crimes court is long overdue. Many argue that it is essential for the nation to reckon with its past to prevent future violence. They view Johnson’s death as a reminder that the country must confront its past, even if the process is uncomfortable for those involved.
