MONROVIA, LIBERIA – The United States Embassy near Monrovia has condemned in the strongest term, the election of Nimba County Senator, Prince Johnson, as Chair of the Senate Committee on Defense and Intelligence.

On Tuesday, May 18, 2021, Senator Johnson was elected on white ballot as Defense and Intelligence Chairman after Lofa County Senator, Steve Zargo, pulled out of the race at the last minute.

In a statement issued Wednesday, May 19, 2021, by the US Embassy, quotes the Embassy as saying  Prince Johnson is a a notorious warlord, whose human rights violations, during the L:Iberian civil war, are well-documented.

According to the statement, “the United States Government cannot have a relationship with Senator Prince Johnson as Chair of the Senate Committee on Defense and Intelligence though it is proud of the longstanding partnership with the Ministry of National Defense and Armed Forces of Liberia”.

The US Government has also expressed doubt in the seriousness of the Liberia Senate, as steward of the Liberia’s defense and security by elevating the Nimba County lawmaker to a leadership role.

Meanwhile, the US Government said : “The occupation of leadership roles in the Senate by sanctioned Grand Cape Mount County Senator, Varney Sharman, as Chair of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Human Rights, Claims and Petitions and Senator Johnson, is an act of effectively ensuring that corruption and lack of accountability flourish in the country”.