Prince Yormie Johnson, a prominent figure from Liberia’s civil war, is dead.
Gatekeepers News reports that he passed away at the age of 72 due to complications related to high blood pressure.
“It is true that he died this morning,” family member Moses Ziah told Reuters.
Johnson was a significant player during the conflict and is notably remembered for his role in the assassination of President Samuel K. Doe in 1990 while leading the Independent National Patriotic Front, a rebel faction.
An infamous video from that year captured Johnson celebrating with refreshments as his fighters executed Doe in a brutal manner, an act that has remained a key part of his controversial legacy.
Though Johnson expressed remorse for Doe’s murder later in life and sought reconciliation with Doe’s family, he never faced legal repercussions. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Liberia had named him among individuals recommended for prosecution for war crimes, citing his group’s involvement in various atrocities, including rapes and killings during the war.
In addition to his warlord past, Johnson had a significant political career, serving as a senator for 18 years from 2006 to 2024. He was known as an influential political kingmaker, endorsing notable candidates such as former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf in the 2011 elections and supporting George Weah in the 2017 runoff against Joseph Boakai. However, in the 2023 election, he reversed his allegiance to support Boakai, who ultimately defeated Weah in the runoff.
