Five new legal practitioners were yesterday called to the Bar at a ceremony held at the high court premises in
They are Ms Anna Dibba, Mrs Imelda Ibi Mboto, Mr. Sunmbo Akinbo, Mr Bennett E. Edet; and Mr. Chukwuka O.N. Agbapuonwu.
Speaking on the occasion, the president of the Gambia Bar Association, Sheriff M. Tambedou, said that the call of the new entrants marked a significant journey to The Gambia’s legal sector.
He advised the new entrants not to hesitate to learn from their colleagues in the profession, and to work hard towards safeguarding the ethics of the profession.
He said the Bar Association is an important association and the oldest association in the continent, and advised them to live up to expectations.
Cherno Marenah from the Attorney General Chambers, deputizing for the Attorney General, congratulated the newly-enrolled legal practitioners for meeting the criteria, and being declared fit and proper persons for enrollment as barristers and solicitors in The Gambia.
He added that the day’s enrollment came at a time of great opportunities and challenges for the legal profession in The Gambia, revealing that in 8 months time The Gambia would be enrolling its home-trained legal practitioner for the first time in the country’s legal history.
He further stated that on the other side of the scale, the legal profession had probably faced its greatest challenge in the last three or four years, given all the legal wrangling members of the profession have had to deal with.
Mr. Marenah added that the code of conduct for a legal practitioner, which was gazetted last year contains a restatement of all these basic principles, and he advised the newly-enrolled legal practitioners to grab a copy of that code, and make it their radar in their navigation in the legal profession.
The ceremony was witnessed by the Chief Justice, Emmanuel Akomaye Agim, and chaired by the Judicial Secretary, John Belford.
The vote of thank was delivered by Ms Anna Dibba.
Mrs. Penda Dibba, secretary general of the General Legal Council, who earlier introduced the new lawyers, administered the oath.
