Ex-Jammeh death squad leader pleads not guilty as landmark Gambia trial opens

The Gambia opened its first trial Thursday against a member of the country’s notorious “Junglers” paramilitary unit, which acted as a death squad under the reign of ex-dictator Yahya Jammeh.

Sanna Manjang, who was the head of the squad, pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder at the country’s High Court in Banjul.

In December, Manjang was also charged with two other killings, including the shooting of longtime AFP journalist Deyda…