By Alhagie Omar Jallow
The long-awaited trial of Michael Sang Correa, an alleged member of the notorious “Junglers” death squad tied to human rights abuses under former Gambian President Yahya Jammeh, is now scheduled to commence on April 7, 2025, following a delay from its original September 17, 2024, start date in United States federal court in Denver, Colorado.
Correa faces charges in the United States for torture and conspiracy to commit torture, marking a significant step toward accountability for atrocities committed during Jammeh’s regime.
In 2020, the U.S. Department of Justice indicted Correa, accusing him of participating in brutal interrogations that involved beatings, suffocation with plastic bags, and electric shocks, inflicting severe pain on at least six victims. The “Junglers,” a paramilitary unit allegedly directed by Jammeh, have been linked to widespread human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings and torture, as detailed in the 2021 final report of The Gambia’s Truth, Reconciliation, and Reparations Commission (TRRC). The TRRC recommended prosecuting Jammeh and 69 associates, including Correa, for crimes against humanity.
Correa’s prosecution in both The Gambia and the U.S. highlights a growing effort to deliver justice to victims and raise awareness of the abuses that marked Jammeh’s 22-year rule. In the U.S., his case exemplifies universal jurisdiction—a legal principle allowing the prosecution of heinous crimes like torture regardless of where they occurred or the perpetrator’s nationality. Under the Extraterritorial Torture Act of 1994, the U.S. can pursue such cases when suspects are found on its soil, as Correa was.
This trial is a rare instance of the Torture Act being invoked, making Correa only the third person to face charges under the statute—and the first non-U.S. citizen. Previous cases include Charles “Chuckie” Taylor, Jr., convicted in 2008, and Ross Roggio, convicted in 2023. If found guilty, Correa could face up to 20 years in prison per count, with a potential maximum sentence of 140 years if convicted on all charges.
Following a verdict, a sentencing hearing would allow victims to share impact statements before a judge determines their punishment.
The case underscores the U.S.’s commitment to combating international human rights violations. It serves as a beacon of hope for Gambian victims seeking justice decades after the horrors of the Jammeh era.
