A former Gambian soldier has been convicted of torture charges in an unprecedented trial in the United States, which came after a thorough investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Michael Sang Correa, who served in the Gambian military under President Yahya Jammeh, was found guilty on April 15, marking the first time a non-U.S. citizen has been convicted under U.S. criminal torture laws.
Steve Cagen, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Denver, said, "Correa’s crimes caught up with him today." He added, "Correa chose the wrong country to try to escape from justice," emphasizing the government's zero-tolerance policy for human rights violators.
The charges against Correa date back to 2006, following an attempted coup in Gambia. He, along with co-conspirators, was charged with torturing detainees at Gambia's Mile 2 Prison. Witnesses provided testimony of severe physical and mental abuse, including beatings, electrocution, and other extreme acts of torture.
Pennsylvania’s Matthew R. Galeotti, from the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, said, "Michael Sang Correa tried to evade responsibility for his crimes in The Gambia by coming to the United States and hiding his past." Galeotti added that the Department of Justice and its law enforcement partners would pursue justice for crimes of torture and human rights violations.
Acting U.S. Attorney J. Bishop Grewell for the District of Colorado noted the significance of the verdict, saying, "Today’s verdict shows you can’t get away with coming to Colorado to hide from your past crimes."
Correa faces a maximum of 20 years in prison for each of the torture counts against him, as well as for conspiracy to commit torture. His arrest in 2019 was following his move to the U.S. in December 2016, where he eventually settled in Denver. He overstayed his visa, which led to his arrest by ICE.
The investigation was conducted by ICE's Denver branch, with assistance from agents in Dakar, Senegal, and support from the U.S. Embassy in Banjul and the FBI's Dakar office. The Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center also supported the investigation.
ICE is currently pursuing numerous investigations into alleged human rights violators from around the globe. The agency has issued over 79,000 lookouts for war criminals and has prevented over 390 individuals from entering the U.S. who are suspected of committing human rights violations.
For those with information on foreign nationals suspected of human rights abuses, ICE encourages public assistance through their tip line or email.
