James T. Phillips Jr. (died 22 April 1980) was a

Liberia Liberia, officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the West African coast. It is bordered by Sierra Leone to Liberia–Sierra Leone border, its northwest, Guinea to Guinea–Liberia border, its north, Ivory Coast to Ivory Coast–Lib ...

n politician. Phillips served as secretary for agriculture and commerce in the national government 1968-1971. Following the split of the government ministerial portfolio into two with the arrival of

William R. Tolbert Jr. William Richard Tolbert Jr. (13 May 1913 – 12 April 1980) was a Liberian politician who served as the 20th president of Liberia from 1971 until his 1980 Liberian coup d'état, assassination in 1980. Tolbert was an Americo-Liberian and trained ...

to the presidency, Phillips served as minister of agriculture between 1971 and 1976. He then served as minister of finance between 1976 and 1979. Philipps was one of the more reform-oriented ministers in the Tolbert government. He resigned from his ministerial post over a controversy on disappeared funds allocated to a floating intended to be used for the 1979

Organization of African Unity The Organisation of African Unity (OAU; , OUA) was an African intergovernmental organization established on 25 May 1963 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with 33 signatory governments. Some of the key aims of the OAU were to encourage political and ec ...

summit. Shortly thereafter, in the wake of the

military coup A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a d ...

that brought down the Tolbert government, Phillips and 12 other officials of the former government were executed by soldiers at the beach behind the Barclay Training Center on 22 April 1980.''Washington Post''.
Liberian Soldiers Taunt, Shoot 13 Former Leaders
'''The Perspective''.

'''Frontpage Africa''.
Liberia: South Beach Still Haunted by Execution of 13 Former Officials of Tolbert Government
'

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Phillips, James T 1980 deaths Ministers of finance of Liberia Agriculture ministers of Liberia People executed by Liberia by firing squad 20th-century Liberian politicians