A United States court has sentenced Michael Sang Correa, a former member of ex-President Yahya Jammeh’s notorious death squad, the Junglers, to 67.5 years in prison for his role in torturing detainees during Jammeh’s rule in The Gambia.
Correa, 46, was convicted on five counts of torture and one count of conspiracy to commit torture linked to a 2006 crackdown on suspected coup plotters. According to U.S. prosecutors, victims suffered savage beatings, burnings, electric shocks, and acid attacks, leaving lasting physical and psychological scars.
Evidence presented at trial showed that Correa was part of the Junglers, an armed unit that reported directly to Jammeh, who ruled The Gambia from 1994 to 2016 before fleeing into exile in Equatorial Guinea.
During the March 2006 failed coup attempt, Correa and others transported detainees to Mile 2 Prison, where they were brutally tortured. Victim testimonies described horrific abuse, including molten plastic burns, suffocation, pistol-whipping, electrocution, and severe beatings.
One survivor, Tamsir Jasseh, recounted the lasting trauma:
“The U.S. involvement in this case has encouraged Gambian authorities to take accountability seriously.”
This case marks the first conviction of a non-U.S. national on federal torture charges, and the first prosecution of a Jungler member anywhere in the world.
In a statement, Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti said:
“The United States will not be a safe haven for individuals who conceal their egregious human rights violations. Today, Michael Correa has finally been held accountable for the brutal violence he inflicted on others.”
U.S. officials stressed the significance of the verdict in sending a global message against impunity. Special Agent Steve Cagen of Homeland Security Investigations added:
“Mr. Correa’s crimes were barbaric and uncivilised; they have no place in the modern world. This sentence sets a standard those who commit such crimes will be hunted down and brought to justice.”
Survivors and rights advocates hailed the ruling as a powerful step toward accountability for atrocities committed under Jammeh’s regime.
Victim Yaya Darboe said the outcome was an important milestone:
“This sentence delivers a measure of justice for us and shows that perpetrators of human rights violations cannot escape accountability.”
Correa entered the U.S. in 2016 and lived there until his arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in 2019. He was indicted on torture charges in 2020.
The conviction is now seen as a watershed moment in international justice, reinforcing that perpetrators of state-sanctioned torture can face justice beyond their home countries.
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