Former Gambian Military Officer Faces Trial for Torture in 2006 Coup Attempt
Michael Sang Correa Accused of Torturing Five Men Under Yahya Jammeh’s Regime
DENVER, Colorado – The trial of Michael Sang Correa, a former Gambian military officer and ex-member of Yahya Jammeh’s notorious hit squad known as the “Junglers,” continued this week in federal court. Correa faces six counts related to the torture of five individuals during interrogations about a 2006 coup attempt against then-President Jammeh.
Tamsir Jasseh: “Correa Participated Overzealously in the Beatings”
Tamsir Jasseh, a U.S. Navy veteran and naturalized American citizen, testified about his brutal treatment at the hands of Correa and other Junglers. After returning to The Gambia in 1999 with hopes of reforming law enforcement, Jasseh found himself detained and tortured following the 2006 coup attempt.
“Dissenting speech was not tolerated, and people were very distrusting,” Jasseh told the jury about life under Jammeh’s authoritarian rule.
Jasseh described horrific torture methods including beatings with banana tree branches and suffocation with plastic bags. “Correa participated overzealously in the beatings,” he testified, adding that Jammeh demanded to hear his screams over the phone.
Pharing Sanyang: Permanent Injuries From Torture
Another victim, former military officer Pharing Sanyang, showed jurors scars from cigarette burns, bayonet slashes, and hammer blows. “Sand particles from the NIA courtyard lodged in my eye,” Sanyang testified, describing injuries that required multiple surgeries.
Sanyang explained how he signed a false confession under torture, wiping his blood on the document as proof of his mistreatment. “I had to save my body,” he told the court.
Additional Victims Testify About Brutal Treatment
Other witnesses included:
- Ebou Jarjue: A statehouse waiter accused of trying to poison Jammeh
- Demba Dem: Described being hung upside down and beaten with sticks
Dem, now living in the Netherlands, told the court: “I have to do it, but I feel satisfied” about testifying against his alleged torturer.
Defense Claims Correa Acted Under Duress
Correa’s defense team argues their client was a low-ranking soldier following orders under threat of death. They contend refusal would have resulted in Correa facing the same torture methods.
If convicted on all counts, Correa faces a potential 240-year prison sentence. The trial, presided over by Senior U.S. Judge Christine Arguello, continues next week at the Alfred Arraj U.S. Courthouse in Denver.
This report summarizes original coverage from The Gambia Journal. For complete details, please visit the original article.