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Mustapha K Darboe
Verified
Editor-in-Chief, The Republic (GM)
Gambia
Beats
Biography
Gambia experienced a military dictatorship between 1994 to 2016. During this period, several journalists were tortured, at least two killed and dozens exiled. Investigative journalism, during this period, was non-existent in the Gambian media. A change of government in 2016 broadened the democratic space, allowing the government to do their work freely. There could not have been a greater need for investigative media. Mustapha K Darboe stepped in. Darboe, a co-publisher of Gambia’s first specialized investigative journalism platform, Malagen, is credited for bringing back an era recognised as the rebirth of investigative journalism in the West African country. In 4 years, Darboe’s work led to at least 4 court cases, one ongoing investigation and several reforms at public institutions. He published at least 12 major investigations in 4 years, exposing flawed procurements, bribery, among others. By setting a precedent as the first journalist in Gambian history to send a high-ranking government official to prison for corruption, he has demonstrated the transformative power of investigative journalism in holding those in power accountable and promoting transparency and accountability. Mustapha started his journalism career in 2014 at a national newspaper in The Gambia, when the media environment was highly restricted under authoritarian President Yahya Jammeh. Despite the challenging environment at the time, he rose through the ranks at Today Newspaper and was one of the most trusted national correspondents covering politics, human rights, and justice. Until January 2024, Darboe was the head of the investigation desk and a founding co-publisher at Malagen, The Gambia’s leading investigative journalism outlet. Mustapha K Darboe is multiple award-winning investigative journalist, winning journalist of the year award since the national journalism award started in the West African country in 2016. In 2023, Darboe’s investigation into illegal rosewood trafficking from rebel-controlled areas of South of Senegal into the Gambia for export to China won the Africa Investigative Journalism Award (PAJI) co-organised by Franco-African platform of journalists Media & Democracy (M&D) and Center for the Study of Information Science and Technology (CESTI). In January 2024, after four years at Malagen, an investigative journalism outfit he co-founded, Darboe left to start The Republic, another investigative outfit. By the end of the year, one of his investigations into a British-based charity, Project Rescue Children, triggered a police investigation.
Procurement, Mining , Environmental Crimes, Public Finance, Audience Interest
Sports, religion, science
Content
Company Info
The Republic (GM)
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Founded: