Monrovia, Liberia – Vice President Jeremiah Koung and Senator Thomas Yaya Nimley of Grand Gedeh County engaged in heated arguments during the funeral of the late Senator Prince Yormie Johnson, a significant figure in Nimba’s political and cultural history.
In a bitter tribute, Senator Nimley said that President Joseph Boakai and Vice President Koung had betrayed the late Senator Johnson. He asserted that mental stress brought on by the administration’s efforts to create a War and Economic Crimes Court in Liberia was a factor in Johnson’s passing. Johnson had previously attempted to block the court’s establishment, but Nimley said that he was coerced into backing it after being betrayed by those closest to him.
To a mixture of applause and whispers, Nimely said, senator Johnson backed former leaders to buy time so that he wouldn’t be prosecuted. When the time came, Senator Johnson was not given the time that the new president had promised.
“Those that Senator Johnson trusted the most betrayed him, the government’s failure to uphold its duty to protect its own is directly responsible for his death.”
Vice President Koung was clearly upset by the comments and responded to them quickly and sharply. Koung, a close associate of the deceased senator, denied the charges, claiming that Johnson’s willingness to sign the resolution establishing the War and Economic Crimes Court was evidence of his innocence and his faith in justice.
Koung shot out, “Senator Johnson was never found guilty of any war crimes. He wished to correct the record and cleanse his name. It is insulting to his memory and dishonest to imply otherwise.”
Debates over the legacy of Senator Johnson, who was hailed as a hero in Nimba and chastised for his contentious role during Liberia’s civil war, have also heated up as a result of the confrontation.
In his tribute, President Joseph Boakai praised Johnson as a brave individual who was instrumental in the development of Liberia’s democratic system. The loss of Senator Johnson will be felt deeply. Boakai said, “He did his part for the nation.”
Despite his contentious background, Senator Johnson was a multifaceted individual who wanted reconciliation, according to former President George Weah. He was a wonderful man who sought to find forgiveness and peace in spite of the complicated circumstances of his past. “Let’s consider his death and renew our commitment to harmony and reconciliation,” Mr. Weah stated.
Former Assistant Minister Matthew Nyanplu has blasted former warlord and Grand Gedeh Senator Thomas Yaya Nimely for his comments during the late Senator Prince Y. Johnson’s burial. Nimely’s remarks on January 18, 2025, were characterized by Nyanplu as a shameful and agonizing reminder of the horrors perpetrated upon Liberians during the nation’s violent civil conflicts.
In a press statement that same day, Nyanplu criticized Nimely for his steadfast resistance to the creation of a war crimes court in Liberia. He said that the senator was inciting terror and trying to scare the country into forsaking justice for the civil war victims. Nyanplu said, “We strongly condemn the perverse anti-justice speech of MODEL warlord Thomas Yaya Nimely.”
