The Gambia’s first blind magistrate, Muhammed Krubally, has spent the past decade demonstrating that visual impairment does not prevent someone from serving effectively in the judiciary.
At 41, Krubally works at Banjul Magistrates’ Court, where he presides over criminal and civil proceedings using assistive technology, careful listening and support from court staff.
Since his historic appointment in 2016, he says he has handled more than 1,000 cases.
His career represents an important development for disability representation in The Gambia. However, it also highlights the difficulties facing professionals with disabilities in institutions designed primarily for people who can see.
Despite the country’s disability rights legislation, advocates say barriers remain in education, employment, public services and access to justice.
Who Is Muhammed Krubally?
Muhammed Krubally is a Gambian magistrate and disability rights advocate who became the country’s first visually impaired magistrate in 2016.
He grew up in a village in The Gambia’s Central River Region and was the second of nine children.
From an early age, he wanted to pursue a legal career.
His ambition partly stemmed from his own experiences of disability and his desire to defend the rights of people who faced discrimination.
However, his journey through education was not straightforward.
He encountered difficulties accessing learning materials and faced doubts from people who questioned whether a visually impaired student could succeed in the legal profession.
Rather than abandoning his plans, Krubally continued his education and eventually entered the judiciary.
Today, he is recognised as a key figure in The Gambia’s disability rights movement.
How Does a Blind Magistrate Run a courtroom?
Presiding over court proceedings requires careful attention to legal arguments, witness statements, documents and evidence.
For Krubally, technology plays an important role in making these responsibilities manageable.
He uses JAWS, which stands for Job Access With Speech.
The software reads information displayed on a computer screen aloud, allowing him to navigate documents, review legal materials and work with judgements.
He also uses AI-enabled smart glasses to access information and perform certain tasks independently.
Before hearings begin, his clerk helps him organise case files and review the day’s proceedings.
During hearings, Krubally relies on spoken testimony, careful listening and his knowledge of courtroom procedures.
He can follow discussions between lawyers, witnesses and other participants without needing to see them.
These methods allow him to perform judicial duties while working within a system that has not always provided accessible tools.
More Than 1,000 Cases Over Ten Years
Krubally says he has presided over more than 1,000 civil and criminal cases since joining the bench.
His decade of service demonstrates that accessible technology and appropriate workplace support can enable professionals with visual impairments to undertake demanding responsibilities.
Courtroom work requires legal knowledge, sound judgement, impartiality and an understanding of evidence.
Visual impairment does not remove the need for those professional standards.
Instead, it may require information to be provided in accessible formats.
Krubally’s experience raises wider questions about whether public institutions are doing enough to accommodate qualified professionals with disabilities.
The issue is not simply whether individuals can adapt to their workplaces.
It is also whether workplaces are designed to support their participation.
The Gambia’s Disability Rights Law Explained
In 2021, The Gambia passed the Persons with Disabilities Act.
The legislation established protections intended to improve the rights and opportunities of people with disabilities.
Its principles include equality, non-discrimination, accessibility, independence and participation in public life.
The law also addresses employment, education, public buildings, information and access to justice.
However, passing legislation does not automatically remove practical barriers.
People may still face inaccessible buildings, limited specialist equipment and inadequate support services.
Disability advocates argue that effective implementation requires funding, staff training, accessible information and accountability.
Without these measures, legal rights can remain difficult to exercise in everyday life.
Why Accessibility Remains a Challenge
The Gambia’s National Human Rights Commission has identified obstacles affecting people with disabilities.
These include discrimination and difficulties accessing employment, education and public services.
Some institutions lack the equipment or procedures needed to support people with visual impairments.
Others may rely on informal assistance rather than providing accessible systems that allow people to work independently.
For example, a person who cannot read printed documents may require digital copies compatible with screen-reading software.
Similarly, public buildings may need accessible signs, navigation support and appropriate communication systems.
These changes can benefit employees, visitors and members of the public.
The broader challenge is ensuring that accessibility becomes part of normal institutional planning rather than an occasional adjustment.
Education Barriers Begin at an Early Age
Challenges facing people with visual impairments often begin during childhood.
The Gambia Organisation of the Visually Impaired operates a Resource Centre for the Blind, which supports children before they move into mainstream education.
According to Lamin Colley, the centre’s head of school, 49 children aged between four and 14 currently attend.
After leaving the centre, pupils are expected to continue their education in mainstream schools.
However, specialist support can be limited.
Teachers responsible for supporting students with disabilities may need to cover several schools, making regular individual assistance difficult.
Learning materials in accessible formats may also be insufficient.
These challenges can affect educational achievement and future employment opportunities.
Improving inclusion therefore requires attention to the entire education system, not only professional workplaces.
A Blind Parliamentarian Describes Similar Challenges
Krubally is not the only Gambian professional highlighting accessibility barriers.
Ndey Yassin Secka-Sallah, a visually impaired member of The Gambia’s National Assembly, has described difficulties participating independently in parliamentary proceedings.
She has explained that she sometimes relied on colleagues to understand information being discussed.
Her experience illustrates how a person may hold public office without receiving all the resources needed to perform independently.
Accessible documents, digital information and appropriate technology can make a significant difference.
Secka-Sallah has also advocated for stronger disability protections.
Her experiences reinforce the argument that representation alone does not guarantee full inclusion.
Technology Opens Doors for Blind Professionals
Assistive technology is increasingly important in education, employment and public services.
Screen readers allow people with visual impairments to access digital documents, websites and computer applications.
AI-powered tools can also help users identify objects, read printed information and navigate certain environments.
These technologies can improve independence and reduce reliance on other people.
However, their effectiveness depends on accessibility, affordability and training.
A screen reader may be less useful when an organisation provides documents as inaccessible images rather than readable text.
Similarly, AI-enabled devices require careful consideration of reliability, privacy and security, particularly in sensitive environments such as courts.
Technology works best when institutions also adopt accessible procedures.
Changing Attitudes Towards Disability
Social attitudes can be as important as physical or technological barriers.
Musa Barrow, a visually impaired lecturer who teaches media law and ethics, has described encountering doubts about his professional abilities.
He uses digital technology to prepare teaching materials and carry out his work.
His experience demonstrates how assumptions about disability can affect professionals even when they possess the necessary qualifications.
Employers and institutions can address these challenges by assessing people according to their skills and providing reasonable accommodations.
Inclusive recruitment, accessible workplaces and staff awareness can help remove unnecessary obstacles.
The goal is equal opportunity rather than lowering professional expectations.
Krubally’s Role as a Disability Rights Advocate
Alongside his judicial responsibilities, Krubally serves as president of the Gambia Federation of the Disabled.
Through this role, he advocates for accessibility and equal opportunities.
He also mentors younger people, including those with visual impairments.
For students considering careers in law, education or public service, seeing someone with a disability working in a senior professional position can challenge assumptions about what is possible.
However, we should not use Krubally’s achievements to suggest that determination alone can overcome every barrier.
Not everyone has access to the technology, educational opportunities or workplace support needed to pursue a professional career.
Meaningful inclusion requires institutions to share responsibility for removing those barriers.
Has The Gambia’s Justice System Become More Accessible?
Krubally’s career raises questions about progress within the judiciary.
His appointment was an important milestone, but the extent of wider institutional reform remains unclear.
Al Jazeera reported that it asked the Gambian judiciary about accessibility arrangements for judicial officers and court users with disabilities.
The judiciary had not responded by the time the report was published.
This means the available reporting does not establish how extensively courts have introduced accessible documents, assistive technology or other accommodations.
Further information from judicial authorities would help clarify what progress they have made.
Accessibility matters not only for magistrates and judges but also for lawyers, witnesses, defendants and members of the public.
A justice system should enable everyone to understand and participate in proceedings fairly.
Conclusion
The Gambia’s first blind magistrate has spent ten years building a judicial career while demonstrating the importance of accessible technology and equal professional opportunities.
Muhammed Krubally’s work at Banjul Magistrates’ Court shows that visual impairment need not prevent someone from performing demanding legal responsibilities.
Yet his story also highlights continuing problems with accessibility, education and employment.
The Gambia’s 2021 disability legislation provides an important legal foundation, but advocates say implementation remains incomplete.
Krubally’s experience offers a broader lesson: genuine inclusion is not simply about allowing people with disabilities into institutions.
It is about ensuring that those institutions provide the tools, support and opportunities needed for everyone to participate equally.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is The Gambia’s first blind magistrate?
Muhammed Krubally is recognised as The Gambia’s first visually impaired magistrate.
When did Muhammed Krubally become a magistrate?
He was appointed in 2016.
How old is Muhammed Krubally?
He was reported to be 41 years old in October 2026.
How many cases has he handled?
Krubally says he has presided over more than 1,000 civil and criminal cases.
How does he read court documents?
He uses JAWS screen-reading software, along with other assistive technology and support from court staff.
What are AI-enabled smart glasses?
They are wearable devices that can use cameras and software to help users access visual information, depending on their features.
Does The Gambia have disability rights legislation?
Yes. The Persons with Disabilities Act was passed in 2021.
What is the most significant challenge facing people with disabilities in The Gambia?
Advocates identify several challenges, including inaccessible services, limited educational resources, discrimination and difficulties obtaining suitable employment.
