Gambiaj.com – (DAKAR, Senegal) – Senegalese journalist Madiambal Diagne has set off a political storm after publishing a series of revelations about Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko’s alleged links with Lebanese-born businessman Mohamed Jamil Derbah, a figure with a long and controversial trail across Europe and West Africa.
In a post on X, Diagne claimed that Sonko “recently met” with Derbah, whom he described as a “sulphurous” businessman based in Tenerife and the organizer of Sonko’s first trip to the United Arab Emirates.
Media Projects, Land Deals, and Lobbying Networks
Madiambal Diagne questioned whether such a man should be anywhere near Senegal’s political leadership, writing that Derbah’s “pedigree speaks for itself” and calling on President Bassirou Diomaye Faye to remain vigilant.
Diagne went further, asserting that among the first projects discussed between Sonko and Derbah was the creation of an Arabic-language media group in Dakar. He openly wondered who such a platform would target and what editorial content it would promote.
He also claimed that Derbah had secured a land concession in Saint-Louis for an ambitious hotel complex, suggesting that the businessman had begun to position himself in Senegal’s economic landscape with remarkable speed.
In another revelation, Diagne said that Derbah introduced a businessman named Carlos Delgado, who was received by Prime Minister Sonko on 27 October 2025 and by Bamba Cissé the following day to discuss a project related to road safety.
Though little is known about the details of that proposal, the connection has contributed to growing speculation about Derbah’s influence around the Senegalese government.
A Troubling International Profile With an Extensive Network in West Africa
What is known about Derbah outside Senegal is far more troubling. His network extends into Guinea-Bissau, where he served as Special Advisor to then-Prime Minister Rui Duarte de Barros between January 2024 and August 2025.
His name also appears in the 2024 report of the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, which describes him as a longtime resident of Spain who relied on a British accountant for a financial career that included major fraud schemes, arranging arms shipments to war zones in defiance of embargoes, and providing funding to Hezbollah.
Arrest in Spain Reveals Deep Political and Criminal Entanglements
Derbah’s notoriety deepened this year after his arrest in the Canary Islands during a major operation by Spain’s National Police.
The operation also led to the detention of three police officers, including a chief inspector involved in the infamous “Tito Berni” corruption scandal, as well as a prominent lawyer.
Investigators described Derbah as the central figure in a sprawling criminal network. He lived in southern Tenerife, where he owned the Hotel Ponderosa, a sprawling tourist complex.
From there, he reportedly managed political, business, and media activities through his platform, Soldecanarias.net, which mixed political messaging, propaganda for his own party, and real estate ventures.
Locals told Spanish media that Derbah maintained close ties with the late John Palmer, the British crime figure accused of overseeing the 1983 Heathrow gold heist. According to sources cited in El Independiente, Derbah acted for years as Palmer’s right-hand man.
Some described him as “shady,” others as “frightening.” The investigation into his activities, handled by the Arona Court of Instruction No. 3 in coordination with the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, centers on organized crime, bribery, drug trafficking, money laundering, and the leaking of police secrets.
It has been running since at least 2024 and intersects with the wider “Mediator” affair that shook parts of Spain’s Socialist Party.
Political and Judicial Reverberations in the Canary Islands
The inquiry also revealed links between Derbah and several high-ranking Spanish officials, including Tenerife’s anti-drug prosecutor Sandra Fagil, who is accused of using her position to facilitate Derbah’s business interests, as well as Gustavo Matos, the Vice President of the Canary Islands Parliament, and Javier Plata, the Deputy Government Delegate in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, both of whom met with Derbah under various official or diplomatic pretexts.
In June, the High Court of Justice of the Canary Islands confirmed Derbah’s release on provisional bail after he paid a €100,000 bond. His passport has been seized, and he must report to court every Wednesday as investigations continue.
He was the only detainee initially placed in pretrial detention, facing charges of drug trafficking, money laundering, and document forgery.
Growing Questions in Dakar
Against the backdrop of this complex and troubling international profile, Madiambal Diagne’s claims about Derbah’s meetings and activities in Senegal have raised serious questions.
The portrait emerging from Spain, Guinea-Bissau, and international crime reports contrasts sharply with the level of political access he appears to have gained in Dakar.
Neither Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko nor President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has publicly commented on the revelations.
However, Diagne’s warning that the President should remain vigilant indicates growing concern over who may be attempting to influence Senegal’s political leadership and what their motives may be.
