Prince Johnson, a former warlord and influential Liberian senator, has died at the age of 72, according to officials from his party and the Senate. Johnson was a central figure in Liberia’s brutal civil wars from 1989 to 2003 and was known for his involvement in the infamous torture and killing of then-President Samuel Doe in 1990.

The news of Johnson’s death was confirmed by senior officials, including Wilfred Bangura, a high-ranking member of his political party, the Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction. “Senator Johnson was the longest-serving senator,” stated Siaffa Jallah, deputy director of press at the Liberian Senate, in tribute to the late politician.

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Johnson, who hailed from Liberia’s northern region of Nimba, had a complicated legacy. Despite his violent past, he later turned to religion and became a preacher, gaining significant popularity within his community. He also became a staunch opponent of the proposed creation of a tribunal to prosecute those responsible for war crimes during the civil conflict.