Investigative journalists serve the public interest by uncovering stories that bad actors would prefer to keep hidden.Sometimes this means going undercover to secure footage that exposes these corrupt and criminal practices for all to see. However, this can entail bending the rules in ways that raise certain ethical questions.
Is the infraction justified by the public interest? Will innocent third parties be exposed to risk during the course of the investigation? How to avoid any perception of enticing the subjects of the investigation into a trap?
Acclaimed investigative journalist and J4T member Damilola Banjo shares how she resolved these dilemmas during a high-impact undercover investigation into the corruption endemic to the Nigerian penal system.