Legal luminaries campaigning for the abolition of the death penalty for criminals across Africa have urged the continent’s capital defense lawyers to do everything they can to eliminate the possibility of their clients receiving the death penalty. I appealed to them to do so.
Experts gathered in Abuja for a three-day workshop to train criminal defense lawyers in Nigeria and Ghana to provide quality legal services to individuals facing the most serious challenges. We spoke with a diverse group of legal professionals who are committed to providing lawyers with the skills and knowledge they need. result.
The workshop, organized by Hope Behind Bars Africa, Legal Aid and Prisoner Rehabilitation Center, and Inclusion Project, was themed ‘Defending those facing the death penalty’.
According to organizers, the workshop, funded in part by the Makwanyane Institute Stewardship Grant, will not only strengthen the expertise and dedication of legal professionals, but will also enable participants to It also aims to encourage the extension of expertise to the poor in need.
Mr. Oluwafunke Adeoye, Founder of Hope Behind Bars Africa, who noted that the death penalty is an absolute punishment, said that if people accused of these crimes cannot afford an adequate legal defense, it is He regretted that this would become a big problem.
According to Adeoye, it was for this reason that the appropriate group of organizations decided to form a partnership to train lawyers to effectively represent their clients in court.
Mohamed Munir Kassim, senior partner at Obour Minta & Co. in Accra, acknowledged that representing death row inmates may not be a pleasant experience, but said the process was a very noble aspect of the legal profession. He pointed out that.
Mr Kassim stressed the need for capital defense lawyers to be trained, encouraged and supported in Africa.
Mr. Aladesanmi Joke Olamiposi, Founder and Executive Director of CELSIR, during a training on ‘Cross-Examination Techniques’, said that despite many adversarial relationships, it is possible to extract testimony from witnesses in proving a case. He appealed to all participants about the need to consider all possible ethical measures. Please refer.
“As a human rights lawyer, it is incumbent upon you to remain calm, calm, professional and respectful even when faced with hostile or uncooperative witnesses. Avoid argument and confrontation.” she advised them.
Pamela Okoroigwe, co-founder of the Inclusion Project, who trained participants on plea bargaining, said: “The myth of the capital trial lawyer does not exist. A good capital defense lawyer will do everything possible to eliminate the possibility that their client will receive a death sentence. Negotiating a plea is an important part of this It is an important part of our advocacy efforts.”
Workshop participants also received a film screening of “Just Mercy,” the story of a defender of America’s capital who overcame all odds to represent a death row inmate. The training utilized role plays, group discussions, and in-depth interactive sessions.
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