By Patience Mama Loum
While cases have concluded in Germany and Switzerland – convictions secured and sentencing handed down to Bai Lowe, a former member of a notorious death squad (‘The Junglers’) established by the ex-president, and Ousman Sonko, Jammeh’s former Minister of Interior – the third of such cases on crimes against humanity just begun in the United States on April 7 2025, against Michael Sang Correa – another ‘Jungler’. The ‘Junglers’ was the name Jammeh’s death squad of rogue paramilitary officers was known as.
Who is Michael Sang Correa
Michael Sang Correa is a former military officer who served in The Gambia Armed Forces (GAF). He was also a member of the State Guard – a group of elite soldiers – tasked with responsibility of the Presidents’ security and the security of the seat of the presidency – the State House.
While allegations of his involvement in torture and extrajudicial killings of opponents or perceived opponents of the former president where murmured long time ago, the extent of his involvement with The Junglers was only made known to the public during public hearings of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) which investigated gross human violations committed under the Jammeh regime from 1994 to 2017.
The Beginning of Justice
Following Jammeh’s fall in 2016, the new government set up the TRRC in 2017 to investigate the human rights violations of his regime. The government has since received and accepted almost all the recommendations of the Truth Commission including the prosecution of adversely mentioned individuals – at least 90 people – including 42 members of the Gambia Armed Forces, nine of whom were part of the junglers. Michael Sang Correa is one of the adversely mentioned individuals.
Allegations of Killings and Torture
Michael Sang Correa is believed to be a part of the killing of two Gambian-American citizens, Alhajie Mamut Ceesay and Ebrima Jobe, who were suspected of plotting to overthrow the former President Yahya Jammeh.
He was also mentioned to be part of the killing of journalist Deyda Hydara in 2004, based on testimonies by his fellow jungler Malick Jatta. Correa was also mentioned to be involved in the killing of fellow jungler Manlafi Corr, the torture of former lawmaker Demba Dem, and three other victims.
Moved to the U.S.
In 2016, Correa was part of a travel party that acompanied Gambia’s former Vice President Isatou Njie Saidy to the United States for the 71st Session of the UN General Assembly – serving as a protocol officer. However, Correa never returned to The Gambia following his mission.
On September 17 2019, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security arrested Michael Correa in Denver Colorado for overstaying his visa. Shortly after his arrest, a coalition of CSOs called on the US government to investigate into the grave allegations of human rights violations involving Correa.
In February 2020, U.S. senators Patrick Leahy and Richard .J. Durbin addressed an open letter to the Attorney General of the United States Department of Justice and the acting Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security stating:
“It has come to our attention that alleged former Gambian death squad member, Michael Sang Correa, is in U.S. custody in Colorado for overstaying a visa since his arrest…” urging the U.S. government to investigate and prosecute Correa in the U.S.
In response, Olay Ceesay, sister of the deceased, Alhajie Mamut Ceesay commented, “Thank you for all you doing to help my family get justice for my brother and his friend.”
Indictment
On June 11, 2020, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado indicted Michael Correa on six counts of torture and one count of conspiracy to commit torture. The indictment states that Michael Correa conspired with others to commit torture against individuals suspected of plotting a failed coup against Jammeh during which he allegedly inflicted torture on six victims with wires, pipes, and other severe forms of torture.
Shortly after the announcement of the indictment, the Gambian Ministry of Justice under the former Minister of Justice, Abubakar Tambedou, welcomed the indictment stating:
“…The indictment of Mr. Correa by US authorities is an extraordinary legal milestone. It demonstrates that no matter where such crimes are committed, and wherever the culprits may be hiding, global accountability mechanisms will reach them, and there is no hiding place for those who commit such crimes in today’s world…”
Correa is the third person to be charged and tried in the U.S. under the United States’ extraterritorial torture statute which allows the federal government to prosecute anyone who committed, or attempted or conspired to commit torture abroad as long as the perpetrator is present in the U.S.
Trial
If Michael Correa, who is facing trial in Denver, Colorado is found guilty of all charges, “Correa could face a maximum of 20 years in prison for each count of torture and conspiracy to commit torture.
If the jury finds Correa guilty, his sentence would be decided at a sentencing hearing, which is usually scheduled several weeks or months after trial, according to Lindsay Bailey, a representative of the Center for Justice and Accountability (CJA).
The American Convention against Torture indicates that acts of torture or any other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment are considered a violations of fundamental human rights.
Three others have been convicted and charged under this same statute by the U.S, one of whom, a Bosnian citizen, was extradited to stand trial in Bosnia for murder and torture.
The Dictatorship
Yahya Jammeh, who now lives in exile in Equatoirial Guinea, led a 22-year dictatorship in The Gambia. His reign, described as brutal, was characterised by widespread human rights violations, including enforced disappearances, torture, extrajudicial killing, sexual violence, and arbitrary detention.
Many of these crimes were carried out by the Junglers, a paramilitary division of the presidential guard that reported directly to Jammeh.
