In a landmark verdict, Michael Sang Correa, a former Gambian military officer and alleged member of the notorious “Junglers” death squad, was found guilty on all six counts of torture and conspiracy to commit torture in a U.S. federal court in Denver, Colorado.
The trial, which began on April 7, 2025, marks the first time a non-U.S. citizen has been prosecuted in the United States under the federal Torture Act for crimes committed abroad, setting a significant precedent for international accountability.
Correa, 45, was convicted of torturing five individuals and conspiring to torture others suspected of involvement in a failed 2006 coup against former Gambian dictator Yahya Jammeh. The jury, after hearing harrowing testimony from survivors who traveled from The Gambia, Europe, and the U.S., deliberated and returned guilty verdicts on six counts of torture and one count of conspiracy. Each charge carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years, meaning Correa could face up to 140 years in prison.
The case, prosecuted under the U.S. Torture Act of 1994, leveraged the principle of universal jurisdiction, allowing the U.S. to try individuals for certain international crimes, such as torture, regardless of where they occurred or the nationality of the perpetrator or victims. Prosecutors presented evidence that Correa, as part of the Junglers—a paramilitary unit that reported directly to Jammeh—engaged in brutal acts, including beating victims with pipes and wires, suffocating them with plastic bags, administering electric shocks, and dripping molten plastic or acid on their bodies. Survivors testified about being hung upside down, electrocuted, and scarred by bayonets and cigarettes, with prosecutors displaying photos of lasting scars.
“This verdict sends a powerful message that perpetrators of atrocities cannot escape justice, no matter where they hide,” said Ela Matthews, senior staff attorney at the Center for Justice and Accountability (CJA), which represented three of the victims. “It’s a historic step for Gambian victims and universal jurisdiction in the U.S.
Correa’s defense argued he was a low-ranking private acting under duress, facing torture or death himself if he disobeyed orders. They claimed he lacked the autonomy to join a conspiracy, with defense attorney Westbroek stating, “Following an order is not the same as agreeing.” However, prosecutors countered that some Junglers refused to participate, emphasizing that Correa’s actions were his own choices. An audio recording of Correa admitting to torturing one person during an immigration hearing further undermined his defense.
The trial drew significant attention from Gambian activists and international human rights groups, who see it as a critical step toward accountability for the widespread abuses committed during Jammeh’s 22-year dictatorship (1994–2016). The Junglers, implicated in torture, extrajudicial killings, and enforced disappearances, were central to Jammeh’s reign of terror, with Gambia’s Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) concluding in 2021 that their actions constituted war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Correa arrived in the U.S. in 2016 to serve as a protocol officer for Gambia’s then-vice president and overstayed his visa after Jammeh’s ouster in 2017. Arrested in Denver in 2019 for immigration violations, he was indicted in 2020 following advocacy from Gambian civil society and human rights organizations. The Gambian government cooperated with the U.S. investigation, signaling support for international efforts to address Jammeh-era crimes.
Victims expressed relief at the verdict. Pharing Sanyang, a former Gambian senior military officer who testified, described the trial as a moment of closure, while Demba Dem, another survivor, spoke of the scars that remain. “This is justice for us and all Gambians who suffered,” Dem said outside the Alfred A. Arraj United States Courthouse.
The verdict coincides with ongoing efforts in The Gambia to establish a hybrid war crimes tribunal with ECOWAS to prosecute Jammeh-era crimes. Activists like Muhammed Sandeng, whose father died in custody under Jammeh’s regime, hailed the trial as a warning to perpetrators: “Justice will catch up with them, wherever they are.
Correa remains in federal custody awaiting sentencing, which is expected July 29, 2025. He can appeal the verdict, citing potential trial misconduct or judicial errors. The case, only the third prosecution under the U.S. Torture Act, underscores the growing global use of universal jurisdiction, with similar cases against Jammeh associates like Bai Lowe in Germany and Ousman Sonko in Switzerland.
As the international community watches, the Correa trial reinforces the U.S. as a potential venue for prosecuting atrocity crimes, offering hope to victims and a deterrent to human rights abusers worldwide.
