Musa Sheriff Editor in Chief Voice Newspaper and Journalist Momodou Justice Darboe
By Buba Gagigo
The Editor-in-Chief of Voice Newspaper, Musa S. Sheriff, and Deputy Editor, Muhammed J. Darboe, both pleaded not guilty on Tuesday during their appearance before Magistrate M. Faal at the Kanifing Magistrate Court. The journalists were granted bail set at D100,000 each.
Sheriff and Darboe are facing charges of false publication and broadcasting, in violation of Section 181A of the Criminal Code, Cap 10:01, Volume III, Laws of The Gambia 2009.According to the charge sheet, the offence stems from a publication on September 23, 2024, in which Musa S. Sheriff and Muhammed J. Darboe allegedly published a report in The Voice newspaper titled “President Barrow Chooses Muhammed Jah As Successor As Presidential Candidate for the 2026 Election.” The charge claims that they published this information without lawful excuse or authority, knowing, or having no reason to believe, that the news was true.
“Musa S Sheriff and Muhammed J Darboe, on or about the 23rd day of September 2024, at Kanifing and diverse places in the Republic of The Gambia, you, without any lawful excuse or authority, willfully published news titled “President Barrow Chooses Muhammed Jah As Successor As Presidential Candidate for the 2026 election” with the Voice Newspaper, knowingly or having no reason to believe that the said publication or news was true, and you knew it to be false at the time. Thereby, you committed an offence.” The charge sheet reads.
The case has been adjourned to October 31, 2024.