Through the Lens of Scrutiny: Michael Sang Correa’s Courtroom Transformation Michael Sang Correa, a former Gambian military officer, enters court with a transformed demeanour—youthful and composed, yet under the weight of scrutiny

His salt-and-pepper beard and steady gaze contrast sharply with decades-old military photos, as victims’ families watch silently from the press row.

When Michael Sang Correa entered the Alfred A. Arraj U.S. Courthouse earlier today for proceedings before Judge Christine M. Arguello, his appearance drew immediate attention. Dressed in a tailored black suit and a crisp white collared shirt, he stood out against the courtroom’s muted tones. His white-framed glasses contrasted sharply with the salt-and-pepper beard framing his face; its centre was streaked with silver.

Observing him from the press row, Correa appeared remarkably robust and youthful—a stark departure from the grainy, decades-old military photos circulating online, which once depicted him in Gambia Armed Forces uniform.

His demeanour was restless. Throughout the jury selection process, his gaze darted methodically: from the judge’s bench to the prospective jurors, then downward to the press row. There, journalists scribbled notes, flanked by victims’ family members whose silent presence seemed to anchor the room’s tense atmosphere. Correa’s repeated visual sweeps—calculated, almost rehearsed—suggested a man acutely aware of the scrutiny he faced, yet determined to project composure.

[Note: No recent photos of Correa exist from inside the courtroom, where cameras and photography are prohibited.]