Gambia Press Union (GPU) raises concerns over arrest, detention of editor

Fajara, 12 March, 2026 – The Gambia Press Union (GPU) notes with concerns the arrest of the Editor of Jollof News Online, Momodou Justice Darboe, on Wednesday at the Banjul Magistrates Court.

Darboe was on a routine coverage of the trial of two Austrian nationals, Manuel Di Stofleth Mitterer and Angelika Mitterer, who are being tried on charges of “disobedience to lawful orders” over allegations that in July 2025 “the couple refused to comply with a court directive requiring them to provide investigators access to their cryptocurrency accounts and related digital assets.”

On 11 March, 2026, after the court session, Darboe took a photo of the accused persons while they were leaving the courtroom. He told the GPU that he was assaulted by the police. “I was attacked from behind for taking a photo of the suspects outside the courtroom,” Darboe told GPU. “My phone was wrenched from my hand by the Commissioner for Police Prosecutions, Abdoulie Sanneh.”

Following the incident, Darboe said he was arrested and detained at the Police Headquarters in Banjul from around 1pm to 7pm before he was granted self-bail. He was also charged with “common assault”, a charge the Police spokesperson confirmed to GPU, was brought against him for “assaulting a police officer”.

Darboe has denied the charge of common assault, which carries up to a one-year prison term under The Gambia’s penal code. He told the GPU he could not have assaulted the officer “while they were behind me, and as I was attacked from behind.”

On Thursday, his media outlet, Jollof News, published a photo of Darboe’s hands showing bruises as a result of the incident.

He was told to report to the police on Thursday, 12 March, 2025 and when he did, he was told to report again on Tuesday, 17 March, 2026. “We call on the police to drop the charge of ‘common assault’ against Mr. Darboe with immediate effect and without condition, and withdraw the bail condition which requires him to be continually reporting to the Police Station in Banjul,” GPU Secretary General, Modou S. Joof, said.

“The GPU also urges the police to refrain from any acts of harassment or intimidation of journalists in the course of their work including when covering court cases.” We also want the police to avoid interfering with the work of journalists and to understand that journalists in The Gambia and around the world are not barred from taking photos of accused persons outside courtrooms.

“While our own code of conduct, the Cherno Jallow Charter of Ethics for Journalists, recognises that journalists are restricted from recording, or taking photos inside courtrooms, and need prior permission from the court to do so, as is the case in several jurisdictions around the world, it does not restrict taking photos of accused persons entering or leaving the courts,” GPU President, Isatou Keita, said. “Justice Darboe did not violate his code of conduct or any law that would warrant his arrest and detention for taking a photo outside the courtroom, and his arrest is therefore unacceptable.”

In September 2024 while working as an Editor at The Voice Newspaper, Darboe was arrested, detained and charged with “false publication” over a story he authored. He was also sued for civil defamation for the same story, before the criminal charges were dropped and the defamation suit withdrawn.