Michael Sang Correa, a former member of an elite Gambian military unit known as the “Junglers,” has been convicted by a U.S. jury for his role in the torture of political prisoners following a failed coup attempt in 2006. The verdict, delivered on Tuesday, marks a historic moment as the first trial under the U.S. Extraterritorial Torture Act involving a foreign national accused of crimes committed overseas.
At the time of the offenses, Correa was serving in the Gambian army under the regime of then-President Yahya Jammeh. The Junglers, operating directly under Jammeh’s orders, were widely feared and linked to serious human rights violations, including torture, killings, and forced disappearances.
Correa, who was arrested in the U.S. in 2020 after overstaying his visa, faced trial for his alleged participation in the brutal treatment of detainees. These abuses took place in Mile 2 Prison and the headquarters of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) in Banjul during the government’s violent response to the failed coup.
According to court records, victims were subjected to horrifying methods, including beatings with wires and pipes, electric shocks, suffocation, and chemical burns.
The jury found Correa guilty on six counts of torture and one count of conspiracy to commit torture. He now faces a potential sentence of up to 20 years for each count, a total of 120 years.
