Liberia: – At the funeral of fallen Nimba County Senator, Prince Y. Johnson, aliased PYJ, Grand Gedeh County Senator Thomas Yaya Nimely painted a clear picture of the late Senator Johnson’s state of mind, his posture and internal countenance towards the government of Liberia’s decision to proceed with the establishment of a war and economic crimes court several years after the dust of civil war settled.
Liberians, over the years have been scrambling over the necessity of a war and economic crimes court, to bring to justice those who allegedly committed heinous crimes or bear the greatest responsibility of crimes and war crimes for their respective roles in the civil war in which thousands of lives and properties were lost.
Few weeks into office, President Joseph Boakai announced his government’s preparedness to set up a court that would address the issues of impunity and accountability, enabling perpetrators of the civil war to account for crimes committed during the war.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission in its reports recommended former warlords, including Senator Johnson, (INPFL) Senator Nimely (MODEL), George Boley (LCP), Alhaji Kromah and Sekou Conneh (LURD) and many others for prosecutions for bearing the greatest of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
But in a thrilling tribute to the late Senator Johnson, former warlord of the Movement for Democracy in Liberia (MODEL), and now Senator of Grand Gedeh County, Thomas Yaya Nimely, explained how the deceased former warlord felt by President Joseph Nyuma’s decision to proceed with the establishment of the court.
According to him, the Senator told him that he was troubled by the signing of the Resolution by the Senate, paving the way for the establishment of the court in Liberia.
“When the resolution for the establishment of war crimes court was put forth at the Senate for signing, Senator Johnson was not present on that day. He called me late in the night to find out if I had signed the Resolution. I told him yes, I did, and then he asked why, but I did not explain. The next day, when Senator Johnson came to Session, I sat behind him and he did not see him. He asked for the paper, grabbed it – and I thought he was about to tear it apart – and he signed,” Senator Nimely revealed.
Senator Nimely also revealed that the late Senator told him, a day after the Senate signed the Resolution, that he (Johnson) was troubled by the developments.
“He called to ask me whether I signed, and I told him, I did. He later told me, I am troubled, and I told him you do not have to be troubled,” he further stressed, shedding light on the psychological stress the Senator endured in relation to the establishment of the war crimes court in the country.
Senator Nimely, a former MODEL rebel leader, also detailed how he assured the late Senator Johnson of his support and that he (Johnson) was not alone and would not be prosecuted.
“I told him, you will not be prosecuted, and he should not worry. There are twenty-six thousands former fighters spread across the country. Some of them are in the army, immigration, Executive Protection Agency, tax drivers, and many others,” he stated as assuring the late Senator.
He did not elucidate any further his assurance of the former warlord why he should not worry as he would never be prosecuted, but political pundits believed his assurance was bellied in the amount of support and loyalty he commanded from his former fighters and kinsmen, that they would have not sat idly and watched him dragged to court.
It is widely believed that Senator Johnson’s passing in such a manner it happened must be have been triggered by the internal psychological emotions he suffered resulting from the establishment of the war crimes court.
The late Senator on many occasions got acrimonious about constant calls for the establishment of a court in Liberia, and even expressed his willingness to defend himself. He claimed his actions were in defense of his people that “were slaughtered like chickens.”
Senator Nimely also recounted how two past presidents whom he Senator Johnson supported in their bids to be presidents, Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Mr. George Manneh Weah, eluded the issue of war and economic court in Liberia in favor of peace and reconciliation.
According to him, the late Senator, by supporting the two former Presidents, was buying time so that he would not be prosecuted.
“But when the Rescue mission came, he decided to go along but things, and it is what it is,” Senator Nimely said, in an effort to highlight what many see as betrayal of the late Senator.
Senator Nimely, a son of Grand Gedeh County, also told the gathering that he and the late Senator enjoyed a very good friendship which he said began at the request of the late Senator Johnson.
He revealed that Senator Johnson sought to establish relationship with through former Associate Justice Kabinah Ja’neh, a relationship he said they both nurtured.
“We did not visit each other, but we moved along through constant communications; Senator Johnson would call me at night to seek my input on something,” he said.
His statement tends to dispel notions of existing acrimony between the people of Nimba and Grand Gedeh Counties.
He used his tribute to appeal to citizens of the two once divided counties to begin the process of mending their social and political differences in the interest of peace and unity.
According to Senator Nimely, the Senator Johnson’s side of the rope the two of them have held over the years has dropped, and it behooves the people of Nimba to pick it up from there to keep them united.
He stressed the need for reconciliation between the two counties and people whom he said shared common traditional values, mainly marriage.
However, Senator Nimely’s tribute was not totally welcomed by others, evident by scathing response from Speaker Richard Koon, saying that Senator Nimely’s signing of the war crimes court resolution helped to trouble the deceased Senator.
“It is you, Senator Nimely, who troubled Senator Johnson because you signed the resolution,” Speaker Koon harshly responded to the Grand Gedeh Senator, and added that it was wrong for him to filibuster at the occasion.
Vice President Jeremiah Koung, also did not take lightly Senator Nimely’s tribute, saying that the Nimba County political godfather was not guilty of any crimes as he was not tried and found guilty in local and international court.
“Senator Nimely, when you said that, I thought he was going to get up. But it is from here I believe he is dead. But let me say that Senator Johnson was no guilty, he was not guilty; he fought for the freedom of his people,” Vice President Koung said.
He went on recounting the Senator’s role in the political trajectory of the county, and thanked him posthumously for his contributions. He assured that though Senator Johnson is no more, but his legacy and everything good thing he pursued for the people of Nimba will be upheld.
