Prince Johnson testifies before TRC

By Ted Townsend
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

MONROVIA, Liberia –  Testifying before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (“TRC”), former founder of the Independent National Patriotic Front of Liberia (“INPFL”) Prince Johnson admitted to overthrowing the government of former Liberian President Samuel K. Doe. Johnson then acknowledged to burning Doe’s body, and throwing the ashes into a river, but not before torturing Doe. Videotape evidence shows Johnson drinking Budweiser and ordering his followers to cut Doe’s ears off. He then allegedly paraded Doe’s body around the streets in a wheelbarrow.

Prior to murdering Doe, Johnson agreed to a truce with the president, agreeing to attack West African peacekeepers.  According to Johnson, he received “enough arms and ammunition” in order to attack, among other groups, the Economic Monitoring Group (“ECOMOG”). The then-president Doe allegedly told Johnson that ECOMOG was working with the Central Intelligence Agency, and was conspiring against development in Africa. In exchange for this ammunition, Johnson paid Doe in bags of rice.

However, after the split with Doe, Johnson relinquished power to ECOMOG, thereby securing safe passage to Nigeria. There, he became a born again evangelist.

Since the end of Liberia’s civil war in 2003, Johnson has attempted to distance himself from his actions by reinventing himself as a senator. However, he was not testifying in is role as a politician; he was testifying as a former warlords. Johnson’s testimony this week was in continuation of the TRC in Monrovia. The TRC was established to "promote national peace, security, unity and reconciliation," while also holding former warlords responsible for Human Rights Violations committed between 1979 and 2003.

For more information, please see:

allAfrica.com (citing The Analyst) – Prince Johnson on TRC Stand Today - 26 August 2008

The Analyst – Doe, Prince Johnson Signed Truce to Attack ECOMOG  – 28 August 2008

The Inquirer – Samuel Doe’s Body was Burnt – 28 August 2008

Afrol News – Warlord reveals his part in Burkina Faso Coup – 28 August 2008

Comments

[HASSAN YUSSUF AHMED]

MASTER SEARGENT SAMUEL KANYON DOE BRUTALLY AND MOST CALLOUSLY DISPATCHED WILLIAM TOLBERT TO THE HERE-AFTER.FATE HAD IT THAT HE TOO WENT THE SAME WAY.HE WHO TAKES WITH A SWORD WILL BE TAKEN WITH A SWORD.WHAT YOU DO UNTO OTHERS WILL BE DONE UNTO YOU.A MENTALLY DERANGED JOHNSON METED TO HIM THE SAME CRIME HE HAD METED TO TOLBRT.
Yours faithfuly,
Hassan Yussuf Ahmed.