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Mohammed Jabateh

Mohammed Jabateh was arrested in the USA in 2016 was charged with two counts of fraud in immigration documents and two counts of perjury for having lied to authorities about his role in the First Liberian Civil War as a ULIMO commander.

Trial monitoring

Mohammed Jabateh, aka “Jungle Jabah”, a Liberian citizen, was arrested in April 2016 in Pennsylvania, USA, where he resided. M. Jabateh was charged with two counts of fraud in immigration documents and two counts of perjury for having lied to authorities about his role in the First Liberian Civil War (1989-1996), during which he was an ULIMO commander, later ULIMO-K after the faction split. He was responsible for committing atrocious wartime crimes including murder, conscription of child soldiers, and cannibalism. The trial began on October 2, 2017 in Philadelphia. A jury convicted Mohammed Jabateh of all four counts on October 18, 2017. On April 19, 2018, he was sentenced to 30 years in prison, the maximum sentence possible for these charges.

On September 8, 2020, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in Philadelphia rejected Mohammed Jabateh’s appeal, upholding his conviction and the 30-year prison sentence.

Civitas Maxima and the Global Justice and Research Project (GJRP) in Monrovia assisted the U.S. authorities with the investigation of this case.

Role Commander in the rebel group ULIMO
Nationality Liberian
Period of Activity First Liberian civil war (1989-1996)
Place of proceedings  Philadelphia, United States
Charges Immigration Fraud
Status of the case Sentenced to 30 years. The conviction is final, and Mohammed Jabbateh is serving his sentence.
Direct legal impact of the case

This trial was the first criminal trial against an ULIMO commander and the first time that victims testified in a criminal trial about crimes committed during the First Liberian Civil War. The 30-year sentence is the longest for immigration fraud in U.S history.

Press releases

Press releases

Jungle Jabbah: Maximum Sentence Confirmed

Today, September 8, 2020, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in Philadelphia rejected Mohammed Jabbateh’s appeal, upholding his conviction and 30-year prison sentence.

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