Trial of Micheal Sang Correa in The U.S.A. Postponed

The trial of alleged jungler Micheal Sang Correa originally scheduled to start on Monday, September 16th, 2024, in the US Court District Court in Denver, Colorado, in the U.S.A. has been postponed after one of the requests made by Correa’s lawyer to the court was approved.

Last week, Michael Correa’s lawyers explained to the court that they intended to present testimony from two witnesses that will show that he (Correa) was forced to commit the acts of torture he is accused of carrying out. However, according to Correa, Jeng and Hydara refused to travel to the United States to testify unless the U.S. government provided them with immunity from prosecution. The United States declined to offer them immunity. 

Correa then asked the judge to dismiss the case against him, arguing that the government was not helping these witnesses to attend. On September 10, the court denied the request to dismiss the charges against him. 

Correa then asked the court to delay the trial to allow his lawyer to travel to The Gambia to record the witnesses' sworn testimony. On September 11. The judge accepted this request. She ruled that ensuring Correa the right to present witnesses for his defense is important to protecting his due process rights which is guaranteed under international law and the United States Constitution.  

While these delays are difficult for victims who have waited for decades for some measure of justice, it is important that the judge gives Correa an opportunity to present his defense. To be clear, this only delays the trial, while Correa's lawyers travel to The Gambia to take these testimonies. The trial will now take place on April 7th 2025. 

As you may recall, Correa was charged by the State of Colorado in the United States in 2020, accused of committing torture against six (6) victims in The Gambia in 2006. 

Correa, according to testimonies given at the Gambia Truth Reconciliation and Reparations Commission, TRRC, was among the band of junglers responsible for the arbitrary arrests and torture of persons interrogated by the panel investigating the alleged failed coup in 2006, namely officers Bunja Darboe, Wassa Camara, Yaya Darboe, John Pierre Mendy, Pharing Sanyang, Momodou Babady Sarr, Momodou and Alieu Bah, and civilians Sheikh Omar Faal, Alieu Jobe, Demba Dem, and Tamsir Jasseh.  

Correa is also alleged to be among those criminally responsible for the unlawful killings of Daba Marena, Manlafi Corr, Ebou Lowe, Alpha Bah, Alieu Ceesay, Masi Jammeh, Julia Maku, Mamut Ceesay and Ebou Lowe, Sulayman (Saul) Ndow, and Mahawa Cham.

The Alliance of Victim-Led Organisations (AVLO) in The Gambia, civil society organizations, victims as well as international organizations such as the Center for Justice and Accountability, Trial International and Trial International will continue to advocate for the trial to take place in a timely manner. We will make an announcement in the coming weeks when a new date for the trial as been set.