Gambiaj.com – (Denver, USA) – The trial of Michael Sang Correa, a former Gambian military officer and ex-member Yahya Jammeh’s hit squad, the “Junglers“, entered its second day in a Denver courtroom, with the defense laying the foundation for a coercion-based argument, while the prosecution began presenting expert testimony on regional dynamics.

Presided over by Judge Christine Arguello, the trial follows the jury selection process, which concluded yesterday with 12 jurors chosen from a pool of 77. Correa faces charges related to human rights abuses allegedly carried out under the regime of former Gambian President Yahya Jammeh.

The defense opened its case by emphasizing a stipulated fact: Correa was not in command of the notorious hit squad known as the “Junglers.” His legal team argued that this distinction is central to their strategy, aiming to prove that Correa acted under duress, fearing for his life if he disobeyed orders. According to the defense, refusal to carry out directives from Jammeh’s inner circle could have resulted in execution.

This claim sets the stage for a crucial legal battle over Correa’s level of agency in the alleged crimes, as the prosecution seeks to establish his direct involvement.

Meanwhile, the prosecution called its first witness, Professor Maggie Dwyer of the University of Edinburgh, an expert in African Studies and International Development. Professor Dwyer’s testimony provided historical and geographical context, including an analysis of regional border dynamics in West Africa, particularly The Gambia.

Alieu Jobe was imprisoned after a failed coup attempt in 2006 and experienced the wrath of Michael Correa’s paramilitary team of the “Junglers”. Jobe said that a man he called “Rambo” repeatedly beat him with metal rods as his pregnant wife waited at home.  He testified, his voice laden with memories, “They tortured me repeatedly.“

Yaya M.S. Darboe, who spent more than nine years in prison, talked about how the savagery of the Junglers caused him to lose his father, brother, and marriage. He described the squad as “awful people” and cited Correa as “the most aggressive” presence during torture sessions. In a 2015 pardon, Jammeh released Jobe and Darboe.

As the trial progresses, the question of whether Correa was a willing participant or a victim of coercion is likely to dominate the proceedings, shaping the jury’s ultimate verdict.