Gambiaj.com – (Banjul, The Gambia) – Michael Sang Correa, a former alleged member of a Gambian death squad known as the Junglers, is set to stand trial in the United States for torture. The trial is scheduled to commence on April 7, 2025, at the Alfred A. Arraj United States Courthouse in Denver, Colorado, and is expected to conclude by April 18, 2025. This landmark case marks the first time a non-U.S. citizen will be tried in a U.S. federal court for acts of torture committed abroad.

Correa faces six counts of torture and one count of conspiracy to commit torture. Prosecutors allege that following a failed coup attempt against former Gambian President Yahya Jammeh in 2006, Correa and other Junglers engaged in brutal torture of suspected coup participants. The reported methods of torture include severe beatings, suffocation using plastic bags, and electric shocks.

The U.S. government has brought these charges under the Extraterritorial Torture Act, a law enacted in 1994 that allows the United States to prosecute individuals found within its borders for torture committed outside the country. Correa’s trial is only the third to be held under this Act, making it a significant legal milestone in the fight against impunity for human rights violations.

A coalition of human rights organizations, including the Center for Justice and Accountability (CJA), the Alliance of Victim-Led Organizations (AVLO) in The Gambia, and TRIAL International, played a pivotal role in advocating for Correa’s prosecution.

CJA, with legal support from King & Spalding LLP, represents several of Correa’s alleged victims. These organizations emphasize that the trial is a critical step in securing justice for the victims of Jammeh’s brutal regime, which was characterized by widespread human rights abuses, including enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detention, and sexual violence.

Initially scheduled for September 2024, the trial’s postponement to April 2025 allows for further preparation by all parties involved. Legal experts and human rights advocates worldwide are closely following the case, as it sets a precedent for accountability in international crimes.

More details on the case can be found through the supporting organizations involved in the legal proceedings.