Some judges, magistrates, police prosecutors and private legal practitioners, drawn from within the Greater Banjul Area, yesterday February 11th 2009, concluded a two-day training on criminal justice system and international norms relating to the safeguarding of criminal justice, as part of the legal capacity building programme funded by the UK department for International Development.

The training aimed, among other things, at strengthening The Gambian legal system through the introduction of international reforms which will improve efficiency and effectiveness, and ensure justice for the poor. The legal capacity building project provides support to three main beneficiary institutions in the Gambia, the main target being the judiciary, the Gambia bar association, the department of state for Justice as well as police prosecutors. It is a three-month assessment stage which has two main aims: to gain and understand the needs, and to reform the proposed work plans.

The two-day training exposed participants to different international legal instruments such as the international human right laws, origin, scope and meaning of the international human right law, among others.

Mr Sanna Dahaba, coordinator of the legal capacity building project in the Gambia, disclosed that the project was designed one and half year ago and that the assessment stage is an opportunity to obtain an updated picture of the situation as well as the constraints facing staff members of the beneficiary institutions. He added that an awareness programme of the project was held at the start of the project, followed by a seminar.  

In essence, he said, the training is meant to refresh and expand the knowledge of participants and to explore the practical application of their knowledge. The training was led by Nick Olley from the UK who was assisted by Justice Moses Richard, a high court judge and Gaye Sowe from the Human Right Institute.