Law students of the Gambia Technical Training Institute, on Friday, convened a mock trial at the Kanifing Magistrates Court, in an attempt to put to test their understanding of court procedures.

The mock trial centred on theft and murder cases, which were presided over by Magistrate Imelda Mboto. The trial saw testimonies and objections by the prosecutor and defence counsel, who quoted relevant sections of the law on evidence to back their submissions.

The court firstly dealt with the theft case involving one Kuta Baldeh, who pleaded guilty to the charge and was accordingly sentenced to a fine of D3,000, in default, serve six-month jail term.

In the murder trial, Charles Nizanny, the accused person, pleaded not guilty to the charge. The trial then took of in earnest with the prosecution led by Sanna Sawaneh, calling in his first witness, Yusupha Daffeh.

Daffeh identified himself as the chief security guard at the Youth Monument Restaurant at Westfield. He told the court that he was on duty on the day in question when he saw two gentle men quarrelling and was forced to intervene by expelling them out of the premises.

Daffeh recalled that shortly afterwards, he heard the deceased yelling at the top of his voice. "I then rushed out to find out what was happening. Upon my arrival at the scene, I saw the deceased on the ground in a pool of blood. I contacted the personnel of the Police Intervention Unit who arrested the accused and I later found out that the accused used a knife to stab the deceased," he told the court.  At this juncture, the presiding magistrate adjourned the case for continuation.

Speaking in an interview with the Daily Observer shortly after the trial, Lt Buba Bojang, a lecturer at the GTTI Law Department, commended the students for the excellent performance, describing it as encouraging; at a time when momentum is building up for the country to produce her own lawyers.

Famara Singahteh, the president of the GTTI Law Students Association, said the trial manifested that the country has a pool of potential lawyers in the making. Singhateh told the Daily Observer that the trial is conducted annually to test the academic performance of the law students.

Other speakers include Alex Sylver, the public relations officer of the association.