IPNEWS: Weeks into the holding of the October 2023 Presidential and Legislative Elections, a leaked WhatsApp screenshots circulated allegedly originating from the Unity Party Executive Leadership Chatroom, indicated that the party has intentions of parting ways with Nimba County Senator Prince Y. Johnson and turning him over for prosecution for war crimes immediately following the election. The leaked chat also included a list of prospective cabinet members.
The Unity Party swiftly described the screenshots as fake and a propaganda against the party.
The campaign spokesman of the party, Mo Ali, in a statement following the release of the screenshots, stated that “Yesterday, we saw a list circulating on social media and other news outlets claiming that it is a proposed cabinet list from the UP. Such a list is fake, misleading, and it’s a propaganda ploy from the opponent intended to cause mistrust among our people. The purported chatroom from which the fake list was generated is also fake.”
In the leaked chat, a concern was raised about why no strategic position be allotted to Sen. Johnson’s Movement for Democratic Reconstruction.
Some in the leaked chat cautioned their fellow colleagues, while other executives of the party opted to used Senator Johnson to deliver Nimba, promising to ensure the incoming president Amb. Boakai to deal with Prince Johnson’s agenda within 100 days in the administration as a way of appraisal to the US government and the international community who are angry with them for keeping PJY around to support the Unity Party.
A general consensus reached during that meeting following which the leak came out, the incoming Unity Party government would indict their strong ally Senator Johnson for war crimes and turn him over to the International Criminal Court for Justice (ICJ) for the allegations he faces.
Exactly one month into the exercise of full government control and power, Liberia’s President Joseph N. Boakai, has reiterated his commitment to ensuring those bearing the greatest responsibilities of war and economic crimes are brought to bear the consequences of their actions.
Excerpts from a classified interview/meeting held between President Joseph Boakai and former United Nations backed Court prosecutor, Allen White, on January 24, 2024, unveils President Boakai’s ambitious plan to prosecute former warlords named for mass murder that left at least 250,000 persons dead according to a UN report.
“You know in every country that boosts independence, especially ours 176 years, and you know well that it is because of the impunity, the disrespect and disregard for justice, that has created all the upheaval in this country. And we believe that injustice has created all these fears of impunity, we have to lay this to rest. The facts be known that people who think that they are innocent to come up and let’s move this country forward.”
“This is not a witch hunt; it is part of testifying as what we know about what are doing. So that the victim can be known on the bases of knowledge and truth. And that’s what we’re doing.”
“Most people have known and if they were on the other side, they would like the truth to be told, and the truth, is truth. Each and every one had been either offended, and so we should be happy that will finally close the shop down of the history of those years. And that’s what we are doing.” President Joseph Boakai said in a conversation with former UN Persecutor Allen White.
The Liberia President lauded the gallantry of Mr. Allen White and others to seeing a resolution of Liberia’s impasse of war crimes properly.
He stated that he believes that war and economic crimes court will restore peace, even people who properly being offended or those who are responsible will know that justice was done.
As President Joseph Boakai seeks international assistance for the establishment of War and Economic crimes court, Nimba’s most famous son, Senator Prince Yormie Johnson, is determined not to back the growing call for a war crimes court and he thinks the people of Nimba will support efforts aimed at thwarting the setting up of the court.
“My people believe I am a hero while others think I am a devil,” said Johnson back in 2019 of his support in Nimba. “When they were being killed, I stood for them.” Johnson tops the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report’s “Most Notorious Perpetrators list” and is widely expected to be the first person to face a war crimes court for his role in Charles Taylor’s National Patriotic Front of Liberia and later, as the head of his breakaway Independent National Patriotic Front of Liberia.
“Go grab Prince Johnson, you won’t be able to even come close,” Johnson told his Monrovia congregation in the same year. “You won’t even catch me because the resistance you will receive from young guys will be maximum, uncontrollable and ungovernable.” Johnson has vowed to mobilize young men from Nimba to take up arms and join him in the forests to resist the court.
“Senator Johnson can’t depend on me,” said ex-General James O. Kabia, in the same 2019. Kabia had spoken to a New Narrative Fellow. Kabia joined Charles Taylor’s NPFL at a very young age. He rose through the ranks to general. Now in his 40s with greying whiskers and four children, he was studying for a Masters degree in Anti-Corruption Studies and he ran a small family business back in 2019.
“Let me tell you something, Senator Johnson is not even brave to start a single barrel war again… The war is over! We disarmed! We will not allow anyone to use an inch of Nimba County for war again,” Kabia had told the New Narrative back in January 2019.
Kabia is one of many prominent Nimba sons, who openly joined the call for the setting up of the court. He fought in most parts of Liberia, including Monrovia and Lofa County, until he and other ex-combatants were disarmed by the United Nations peacekeepers in late 2003. Kabia claims to know all of Nimba County’s 720 towns, 11 administrative districts, nine electoral districts, six cities and six statutory districts. He warned young Nimbaians to not be misled.
“Anyone, who will try anything to disrupt the peace, me, working with the government of Liberia and the international community, will move on that person and arrest him.”
Senator Johnson, now in his 70s, father of 12 children, is a son of a bush hunter in Nimba County. He first resorted to arms as a member of the failed 1985 General Thomas Quiwonkpa invasion, which was intended to topple the Doe regime. Quiwonkpa, a son of Nimba, was arrested and butchered when the uprising failed. Johnson fled into exile.
This infuriated President Doe, who sent members of the army to Nimba. Nimbaians, including women and children, were slaughtered and that massacre is known today as the “Nimba Raid.”
Johnson and Taylor launched Liberia’s civil war on December 24, 1989 and crossed over into Nimba, through Butuo on the border with Côte d’Ivoire. Johnson splintered from Taylor soon after and formed his own rebel group, the INPFL. When, in 1990, Johnson captured, tortured and killed Doe, Nimbaians, remembering the Nimba Raid, hailed him as a hero and savior.
According to Liberia’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), the INPFL can be held liable for just two percent of the total violations —2,588 —tallied in its final report.
Though this figure is low compared with Taylor’s NPFL with 41 percent (63,843 violations), INPFL leader Prince Yormie Johnson is documented as having the highest number of violations ever recorded for individual perpetrators during the whole civil war, which lasted 15 years. Johnson earned this record in comparatively short spell (1990 to 1993) in the civil war.
In addition to killing Doe, the TRC documented other crimes committed by Johnson’s INPFL: “Two trucks filled with native Krahns and Mandingoes were captured from ECOMOG by the INPFL and apparently killed since they were never accounted for,” the report reads.
Among Senator Johnson’s violations, according to the TRC, are killing, extortion, massacre, destruction of properties, force recruitment, etc.
Many international and local rights groups have called for the establishment of a war and economic crimes court. But the previous Liberian government under President George Manneh Weah showed little or no interest in this call, which is also backed by some in the US Congress. It seems President Joseph Boakai’s Administration will likely begin the process.
As the drumbeat for a court continues and pressure on Prince Johnson grows, Nimbaians may be forced to choose to fight with their Senator or stand and watch as he and others are picked up by the court to face trial.
