Estate war erupts in PJY’s family

The family of late Nimba County Senator, Prince Yormie Johnson, is in court over the distribution of his estate.

By Stephen G. Fellajuah

Monrovia, Liberia; September 3, 2025 – A dispute has erupted within the family of the late Senator Prince Yormie Johnson over the distribution of his estate, with one of his daughters alleging that his widow is withholding key property documents.

Speaking with the Perspective online platform, Angel Johnson, a daughter of the late senator, revealed that her father died intestate, without a will. Despite this, she claims her stepmother informed the probate court that Angel’s name was included in the administration of the estate.

Angel is now demanding release of essential documents, which she believes are necessary for a fair and transparent distribution of her late father’s assets.

“My stepmother told the court I’m part of the process, yet I can’t access the documents,” Angel said. “We all deserve to know what’s on the table.”

As of now, there has been no formal response from the late senator’s widow, Mrs. Amira Boyidee Johnson, regarding the allegations from her stepdaughter.

Senator Johnson, who died on November 28, 2024, at the age of 72, served in the Liberian Senate from 2006 until his death. During his tenure, he chaired several key committees, including those on Internal Affairs and National Security.

Beyond politics, Johnson was a highly controversial figure in Liberia’s recent history. A former warlord, he played a pivotal role in the country’s brutal civil wars between 1989 and 2003, during which an estimated 250,000 people were killed. He gained international notoriety in 1990 when a video surfaced showing him sipping beer while watching the torture of then President Samuel Doe, who died subsequently.

Despite being named in Liberia’s 2009 Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) report for wartime atrocities, including massacres, rape, and the use of child soldiers, he was never prosecuted.

In later years, Johnson reinvented himself as an evangelical preacher and remained a political kingmaker, influencing the outcomes of the last three presidential elections.

He passed away in Monrovia after a brief illness. As the family wrangles over his legacy and assets, questions loom not only over the distribution of property but also over the complex legacy left behind by one of Liberia’s most polarizing figures. Editing by Jonathan Browne