Michael Sang Correa alleged Jungler
By Buba Gagigo
During the ongoing trial of Michael Sang Correa, two key witnesses, Yaya M.S. Darboe, a military officer, and Alieu Jobe, a civilian, testified that Correa was among the notorious “Junglers” who tortured them at the National Intelligence Agency (NIA). Darboe characterized the Junglers as a brutal group, with Correa being the most aggressive of his alleged torturers.
Photographs depicting Mile 2 Central Prison and images of victims suffering from molten plastic burns were shown to both victims, who recognized the images. These included images of the prison cells at Mile 2 and the burn injuries sustained by Darboe.
The proceedings on Monday began with statements from both the Federal prosecutors and the defense. Prosecutors claimed that Correa transported victims from Mile 2 Prison to the NIA headquarters in Banjul, where he allegedly suffocated victims by placing plastic bags over their heads. Additionally, they alleged that Correa and other members of the Junglers suspended one victim in a rice bag before beating him.
The defense, represented by attorneys Jared Westbroek and Boston Stanton Jr., argued that Correa was a private soldier at the time and lacked the authority to command others. They further contended that Correa could not have fled the country due to the harm former President Yahya Jammeh allegedly inflicted on his family. The defense also argued that Correa was powerless to act, citing the fate of “dishonest” Junglers who were reportedly killed.
Both Darboe and Jobe recounted their harrowing experiences after being arrested in connection with the 2006 failed coup attempt. Jobe explained how he was detained, taken to the NIA, and interrogated about the coup, which he denied involvement in. He was then handed over to the Junglers, who repeatedly tortured him. Jobe spent nine years at Mile 2 Prison and was eventually sentenced to 20 years.
Darboe, who also faced arrest for his involvement in the coup attempt, recounted being taken to the NIA, where he denied participation in the coup during questioning. He, too, was subsequently handed over to the Junglers for torture. Darboe stated that Bora Colley and Malick Jatta were the only members who did not partake in the abuse. He described the Junglers as a ruthless group, with Michael Sang Correa being the most violent of his tormentors. Darboe spent nine years in Mile 2 before his release in June 2015.
On Monday, a federal judge dismissed one of the charges against Michael Sang Correa after a key witness, Bunja Darboe, failed to appear in court. Prosecutors moved to withdraw Count Five, related to the alleged torture of army officer Bunja Darboe, explaining that Darboe could not testify due to his current deployment.
Correa, a former member of the elite “Junglers” unit, faces numerous charges related to torture, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings committed during the 22-year rule of former President Yahya Jammeh. Several former Junglers implicated Correa during their testimony before The Gambia’s Truth, Reconciliation, and Reparations Commission (TRRC).