Liberia's only female senator has admitted throwing a cup of hot tea at a member of another party in a moment of frustration during senate proceedings.

"Yes, I did," Senator Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence told reporters afterwards. "I continue to say I am in a lion’s den... I do not regret my action."

She is a member of the opposition and the man she threw the tea at was the senate’s acting presiding officer, Senator Saah Joseph, of the ruling party.

The incident happened after Senator Joseph had abruptly ended a session in which senators were cross-examining top security officials about a wave of violence in the capital in recent times.

"As a leader, I needed to be patient. There was no reason to respond to her anger," Senator Joseph said later.

He alleges that she had slapped him beforehand, and is now vowing take the matter up with the entire senate for redress.