By Hadram Hydara
Michael Sang Correa, a former member of The Gambia’s notorious “Junglers” death squad, will be sentenced on August 22 in a US federal court after being convicted of torture and conspiracy.
A Denver jury found Correa guilty in April of five counts of torture and one count of conspiracy for his role in brutal interrogations during a 2006 coup attempt against then-President Yahya Jammeh. Witnesses testified that Correa and other Junglers beat victims, suffocated them with plastic bags, and used electric shocks.
Correa, who entered the US on a diplomatic visa in 2016, was arrested in Colorado in 2019 for overstaying his visa. He faces up to 120 years in prison.
Fatou Baldeh of Women in Liberation and Leadership (WILL), who attended the trial, said: “It was very moving sitting in front of Mr. Correa and seeing the evidence presented by the prosecution. The victims were allowed to face their perpetrator, and you could see they got their power back.”
Zainab Lowe, a Gambian victims’ rights advocate, added that the verdict “sent a strong message that The Gambia must continue to work to ensure all Junglers are held to account.”
The sentencing hearing will allow victims to share impact statements before Judge Christine M. Arguello decides Correa’s punishment. Prosecutors are seeking the maximum sentence.
Correa’s case is among the first prosecutions of Jammeh-era figures outside of The Gambia. Two others—Bai Lowe and Ousman Sonko—have been convicted in Germany and Switzerland, respectively.
Gambian activists say the trial underscores the need for justice at home. Muhammed Sandeng of the Solo Sandeng Foundation urged The Gambia’s government to establish a hybrid court to prosecute remaining suspects.
After sentencing, Correa can appeal on limited grounds.
Note: Some information in this story is sourced from the Centre for Justice and Accountability (CJA), Trial International, and the Alliance of Victim-Led Organizations (AVLO).
