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Opening statements are set to begin Tuesday in the U.S. federal trial of Michael Sang Correa, a Gambian national accused of torturing political detainees during the rule of former Gambian dictator Yahya Jammeh. The case marks a rare use of an American law that allows prosecution of torture committed overseas.
Correa, who was indicted in 2020 while living in the U.S., allegedly belonged to a notorious paramilitary group known as the “Junglers,” which reported directly to Jammeh. Prosecutors claim the group targeted individuals linked to a failed 2006 coup, subjecting them to brutal beatings, electric shocks—including to their genitals—and suffocation with plastic bags.
Now residing in Denver, Correa came to the U.S. in late 2016 as part of Jammeh’s security team but remained after the dictator was forced into exile. Correa’s lawyers argue he was forced to act under duress, citing the deadly consequences for members of the Junglers who disobeyed orders.
This is only the third time the U.S. has prosecuted an individual under the extraterritorial torture statute. Previous cases include the 2008 conviction of Chuckie Taylor Jr., son of Liberia’s former president, and the 2023 conviction of Ross Roggio for torture in Iraq.
Other nations have also pursued justice for Jammeh-era abuses. Swiss courts sentenced his former interior minister to 20 years for crimes against humanity, while a German court convicted another Jungler for murder and human rights violations.
Jammeh ruled Gambia with an iron grip for 22 years, accused of widespread torture, disappearances, and extrajudicial killings. He fled to Equatorial Guinea in 2017 after losing a national election.
The Correa trial is seen as another step in global efforts to hold members of Jammeh’s regime accountable—even years after the alleged crimes took place.
