Africa
Ex-member of former Gambia dictator’s military unit is on trial in the US for torture
Opening statements are expected Tuesday in the trial of a man accused of torturing political opponents of Gambia’s former military dictator Yahya Jammeh nearly 20 years ago, the latest international trial tied to his regime.
Federal prosecutors invoked a rarely used law that allows people to be tried in the U.S. judicial system for torture allegedly committed abroad.
Michael Sang Correa, a citizen of Gambia, was indicted in 2020 while living in the United States. He is charged with being part of a conspiracy to mentally and physically torture people suspected of involvement in a failed 2006 coup in Gambia.
Prosecutors say Correa was part of a military unit known as the “Junglers” that reported directly to Jammeh. They say he and his alleged co-conspirators allegedly kicked and beat detainees using pipes and wires, sometimes covering the victims’ heads with plastic bags, and also administering electric shocks to their bodies, including their genitals.
His attorneys plan to argue that Correa was coerced to participate and acted under duress, according to court filings. Prosecutors and the defense have agreed that there is information indicating that members of the Junglers who did not carry out Jammeh’s orders without question would be killed.
Jammeh was a 22-year dictator of Gambia, a country surrounded by Senegal except for a small Atlantic coastline, and was accused of ordering opponents tortured, jailed and killed. He lost a presidential election and went into exile in Equatorial Guinea in 2017 after initially refusing to step down.
Correa came to the U.S. to serve as a bodyguard for Jammeh in December 2016, but he remained and overstayed his visa after Jammeh was ousted, according to prosecutors. Since sometime after 2016, Correa had been living in Denver and working as a day laborer, they said.
According to Human Rights Watch, Correa is the third person to be tried under a U.S. law that allows people to be charged with committing torture abroad. The two others who have been previously tried were both U.S. citizens and sentenced to lengthy prison sentences.
Charles “Chuckie” Taylor, Jr., the son of former Liberian president Charles Taylor, was convicted in 2008 in connection with torture committed in Liberia from 1997 to 2003.
In 2023, Ross Roggio of Pennsylvania was convicted of torturing an employee in Iraq while being accused of operating an illegal manufacturing plant in Kurdistan.
Other countries have also prosecuted those tied to Jammeh’s regime.
Last year, Jammeh’s former interior minister was sentenced to 20 years behind bars by a Swiss court for crimes against humanity. In 2023, a German court convicted a Gambian man who was also a member of the Junglers of murder and crimes against humanity for involvement in the killing of government critics in Gambia.
Gabon has been restored to full membership of the Commonwealth following the country’s recent presidential election.
The association made the announcement on Tuesday, following a meeting of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group.
Gabon was partially suspended from the 56-nation group in September 2023, a month after the elected government of Ali Bongo Ondimba was ousted in a coup.
In April this year, coup leader Brice Oligui Nguema won the presidential election with almost 95 percent of the vote.
The Commonwealth ruled the poll was credible, transparent and inclusive and decided to lift Gabon’s partial suspension.
The CMAG welcomed Gabon’s return to constitutional democracy and reiterated its condemnation of any unconstitutional overthrow of a duly elected government, stressing that “such action violates the democratic principles at the heart of the Commonwealth and is a serious breach of the Commonwealth Charter.”
It said Gabon would remain on the group’s agenda as it works towards fulfilling its obligations under the Commonwealth Charter.
Rooted in the British Empire, the Commonwealth is now open to all countries. Togo and Gabon are the newest members, both joining in 2022.
Summer in Saïdia, often called the “Blue Pearl of the Mediterranean”, is a vibrant mix of sun, sea and serenity.
Situated in north-east Morocco, close to the Algerian border, Saïdia is renowned for its 14 kilometres of golden sandy beaches stretching out over calm turquoise waters.
From June to September, the town is bustling with locals and international visitors eager to enjoy its Mediterranean charm, gentle sea breezes and lively atmosphere.
“A lot of us come to Saïdia, a lot of people from the east come because it’s beautiful, and people from all over Morocco come here too,” says one young man on his way to the beach.
The seafront promenade, lined with cafés, restaurants and family resorts, becomes the heart of summer evenings. As the sun sets, the smell of grilled seafood fills the air and music blares from the terraces where families and friends gather.
For those seeking adventure, Saïdia offers much more than just sunbathing. Water sports such as jet skiing, banana boating and sailing are popular daytime activities. Inland, you can explore the Moulouya National Park, a haven for birds and nature lovers.
US President Donald Trump is ramping up his tariff agenda, announcing plans to impose new duties of over 10 percent on imports from smaller nations, including several in Africa and the Caribbean. The move marks a sharp shift in US trade policy, aimed at what Trump describes as “reciprocal” treatment.
Several African countries are already preparing for steep increases. Lesotho, a small Southern African nation, could face tariffs as high as 50 percent on goods exported to the United States. While the tariffs are currently on hold during a three-month consultation period, concerns are rising over the long-term economic fallout.
“These are countries. Many of them, you know, like 200 countries,” Trump said in response to questions about which nations would be affected. “We’ll probably set one tariff for all of them.”
US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick supported the move, saying the President plans to handle small nations in the way he believes is most effective. “The Caribbean countries, African countries. There are a lot of them,” Lutnick said.
The World Trade Organization is urging the United States to reconsider. WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has called for African countries to be exempt from the proposed tariffs, warning that such actions could severely damage developing economies and undo years of progress.
As the consultation period unfolds, both affected countries and international trade bodies are calling for dialogue. They hope to avoid a new wave of economic instability, especially for vulnerable economies dependent on exports.
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