The Law Students’ Association of The University of The Gambia Saturday held its preliminary rounds to choose representatives for the University in this year’s forthcoming annual Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Moot Court Competition.
The occasion was held at the Faculty of Law auditorium in the Faraba Campus, featuring law students from across all year levels (first, second, third & fourth) and presided over by practising lawyers who volunteered as judges.
These judges held a session guided by fairness and competitiveness, ensuring quality and standards in the process throughout the event.
Ultimately, Ajie Oumie Sonko, a young woman known for her dynamism and relentlessness, and Zeanpierre Wilna Kundeh emerged as the two most outstanding advocates. They were thus selected to represent the University of The Gambia as a team.
The Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Moot Court Competition is staged annually by the National Human Rights Commission, the national rights body established by an act of parliament in 2017, in partnership with the Law Faculty of The University of The Gambia.
Previous participants include the University of Lagos, Obafemi Awolowo University, University of Calabar, University of Benin, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, University of Rwanda, Africa Nazarene University and other universities.
Named after the nation’s first president, Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara, who was a champion of human rights and democracy in post-colonial Africa, the competition accords African law students the opportunity to not only showcase but equally refine their skills in legal advocacy, and legal resreach and writing.
Presided over by a panel of independent personalities with strong legal backgrounds, who serve as judges, it accords students the opportunity to practically work on fictional cases about real life situations, especially those related to human rights and constitutional or international law, to present their arguments and argue cases as either the prosecution or defence.
Moreover, in addition to legal arguments, the competition places high emphasis on research quality and presentation clarity.
The Law Students’ Association conveyed that it “congratulates the selected participants [in the preliminary rounds] and extends its best wishes for the competition”.
As it sets its sight on the ultimate prize of this year’s SDKJ Moot Court Competition, it said that it is confident that they will make a strong impact to emerge the topmost contender.
