Inter-Governmental Action Group against money-laundering in West Africa, GIABA, has urged Gambian journalists to help identify and expose money-launderers and terrorist financing during a media outreach programme held at the Kairaba Beach hotel.

The body seeks to ensure that member states comply with international acceptable standards on anti-money-laundering and combating the financing of terrorism.

Representing GIABA director general, Alphousseyni Diamanka described the media as an important channel for increasing awareness among the populace.

“And this GIABA has been working and building partnerships with media groups and individual journalists to bring public awareness to the negative consequences of money-laundering and terrorist financing,” he said.

“The media must give its narrative in identifying and exposing money-laundering, more importantly, the media must not allow itself to be used by suspected money-launderers and looters of public treasury to truncate the cause of justice,” Diamanka added.

According to him, a significant outcome of the programme is forming a regional network of journalists involved in reporting economic and financial crimes, adding the network should serve as a platform for information sharing and dissemination on the essence of implementing robust AML/CFT regimes in GIABA member states.

“This workshop should therefore serve to bring together a broad section of the media from across the country under one group to identify to track down money-launderers and financial terrorism activities within and outside the country,” he continued.

Diamanka called for equipping journalists with the right tools to cover, report and investigate money-laundering and other financial crimes to help stem the tide in the country.

“Equip journalists with the necessary knowledge to educate others in their respective organisations, regions, cities and towns,” he said. 

Reporting by Adama Makasuba