Gambian Justice in Denver, Colorado

From the corridors of power in Gambia to a federal courtroom in Denver, Colorado, the arc of justice bends slowly but decisively toward accountability. Join us as we witness history unfold in the trial of Michael Sang Correa, former member of the feared Jungler paramilitary group that terrorized Gambia under dictator Yahya Jammeh.

For decades, the Junglers operated with absolute impunity, carrying out extrajudicial killings, torturing opponents, and disappearing voices of dissent. Now, one of their own faces the weight of American law under the Torture Victim Protection Act. This landmark case marks the first time a member of Jammeh's brutal security apparatus stands trial in the United States for human rights violations.

Our reporting takes you inside the courtroom where survivors recount harrowing experiences of torture following the 2006 failed coup attempt. Their testimonies describe savage beatings, electric shocks, mock executions, and psychological torment that continue to haunt them years later. While the defense portrays Sang Correa as a soldier merely following orders, witnesses and former colleagues paint a different picture - one of a man who actively participated in brutality with clear agency and decision-making power.

What makes this trial extraordinary isn't just the charges but what it represents for transitional justice in Gambia. Each testimony breaks another brick from the wall of silence that has protected perpetrators for too long. For survivors watching from across the world, seeing their abuser finally face consequences delivers something precious that years of impunity stole: validation that their stories matter, that their suffering wasn't forgotten, and that justice, however delayed, remains possible.

Follow along with The Victims Podcast as we document this crucial chapter in Gambia's journey toward healing and accountability. Subscribe now to hear exclusive interviews, expert analysis, and reflections on what this case means for international human rights law and the ongoing struggle for justice worldwide.

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome to the Victims Podcast
• 0:58 Michael Zankoria and the Junglers
• 2:17 Trial Overview: First Three Days
• 5:30 Day Three: Testimonies and Emotional Impact
• 9:10 The Road to Justice and Healing

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:01

Hi everyone, welcome to another episode of the Victims Podcast. The Victims Podcast is a platform curated to raise awareness about the transitional justice process and create a platform for victims of human rights violations to share their stories. It's a platform that co-raises awareness around the transitional justice process, especially now we are in the post-TRC process, to ensure recommendations made by the TRRC, which is the reconciliation and reparations commission, are fully and comprehensively implemented. We have had conversations with legal experts, survivors, including the members from the Gambia Bar Association , and also international institutions, especially those that have worked on universal jurisdiction, and this is why this week we are here in Denver, colorado, to observe the trial of Michael Sang Correa. In this special series, we are following the trial of Michael Correa, a former member paramilitary group called the Junglers, who is standing trial in the United States currently. For many, this moment feels like the first crack in a long wall of silence trial. It's important to understand who Michael Sang is and why his actions have led to such a significant moment in the quest for justice and accountability for victims. Michael Sang was a member of the jungler, a feared parliamentary group formed under the rule of Gambia's dictatorship, yaya Jammeh. The junglers were not just a parliamentary unit. They were the hands of terror, taxed with silence and any form of opposition to Jammeh's regime. They became infamous for carrying out extrajudicial killings, torture and forced disappearances across the country.

Speaker 1: 2:04

Correa is accused of playing a key role in the violent attack on the 2006 fail coup attackers against Jammeh. Allegedly, he was involved in the torture of detainees, men who were detained, stripped of their rights and subjected to brutal physical abuse. The matters of torture were horrifying beatings, electrocutions, sophistications and the worst terrible torture you could imagine that a human being could go through. These victims were never the same. For years, correa and others like him operated with impunity, but then now Michael Sancoria faces charges of torture under the US law. He is one of the first to be held accountable for his crime under the Torture Victim Protection Act, which allows for the prosecutions of human rights violators living in the United States, regardless of where the crime occurred. Correa's trial isn't just about one man. It's about all those who lived under shadow of fear and silence for so long, those who lived on the shadow of fear and silence for so long. It's about the victims and their families, who have waited decades for justice to find a voice. Now let's go into the trial itself. Today is the third day of the trial, but I will give you an update from the first day, the second day and today, the third day.

Speaker 1: 3:47

Michael Sang Correa is facing charges in the United States for his alleged role in the 2006 coup attempt. The trial marks an important turning point, especially because it's the first time someone from Jamis' region is facing criminal charges in the United States. The charges against Corra are horrific. They include allegations of physical abuse, electrical shocks and mock executions, all carried out against individuals detained after the failed coup. His trial in Denver is a historic moment, not just for the Gambia, but for human rights worldwide. It's a chance to prove that no one is above the law, no matter how powerful they were, no matter how far removed the crimes may seem.

Speaker 1: 4:45

The trial officially began on April 7, 2025. It was a day filled with emotions and quiet resolve For survivors. It was so surreal. After so many years of feeling invincible, justice was finally taking shape. Federal prosecutors laid out their case. Correa was not simply following orders, but was a willing participant in torture. They presented Corrie as someone who personally beat detainees and oversaw horrific abuse at the National Intelligence Agency, the NIA. One charge had to be dropped after a witness became unavailable, which was the fifth charge, a painful reminder of how long victims have waited and how many voices have been lost. But the trial continues and survivors are watching.

Speaker 1: 5:46

On the second day of the trial, prosecutors brought vivid and harrowing testimonies of what victims endure. The violence was described in haunting details savage beatings, false confessions, psychological torment. The defense claimed Corrie feared for his life if he refused orders, arguing he was just a soldier in a chain of command. But for the victims, their families, was just a soldier in a chain of command. But for the victims, their families, this defense ran horror. As many have said, we all fear for our lives, but we did not become torturous. Witnesses described not just what happened to them but the lasting effect. Some still bear physical injuries. Others carry trauma that never fades away.

Speaker 1: 6:40

Despite the pain, there was power in their testimonies. For the first time, their experiences are being acknowledged in a courtroom. For the first time, their abuser is facing consequences. And on day three, the courtroom became a place where the impact was felt, not just in the victim's story but in the testimonies of those who worked alongside Correa, and the junglers testified that Correa was not just a foot soldier. He was a man with an agency involved in the decision that led to violence. His role was clear. According to the witness, correa was involved in interrogation sessions and ensured that the victim suffered unimaginable pains. The prosecutions also played crucial from their archives interviews with victims who described being electrocuted while tied up. The Chilling account painted a vivid picture of what victims face at the hands of correa and his team.

Speaker 1: 7:59

Day three ended up with an emotional statement from one of the survivors, now living in Holland, the Netherlands. The survivor recounts that moment. He foresaw Correa in court, explaining how it felt to finally face their abuser. For them, the trial isn't just about seeking justice. It's about reclaiming their voice in the fight for accountability.

Speaker 1: 8:32

The trial continues to unfold and each day brings with it both pain and hope. It's a slow process, but survivors know that each moment brings them one step closer to justice they have fought for. The trial is a beginning. It's not complete justice, but it's a moment where truth is being spoken aloud on the record, on the road and for the world to hear. For Gambians, it's a reminder that the stories we carry matters, the survivors we endure, cannot be erased. The suffering the survivors endure cannot be erased and the fight for justice is far from over. We will be here each step of the way, bringing you updates, interviews and reflections, because justice is not just about verdicts. It's about voice, it's about memory, it's about healing One truth at a time until we come next. This is the Victims Podcast, the voices of victims, a Gambian truth, and I'm your host,