Four Law students of the UTG have been refused US visas to participate in this year’s Philip C. Jessup Moot Court Competition, according to information reaching What’s On-Gambia.,
Muhamed Jeng, Haddy Drammeh, Sohna Jawara, Muhamed Lamin Ceesay and their coach, Peter K. Mendy were invited by the organizers of the moot court competition, which brings together Law students from over 680 law schools in 100 countries and jurisdictions.
Last week, however, they were told by the US Embassy in Banjul they would not be issued visas to travel to the USA.
“The US Embassy denied them visas to participate in the Philip C. Jessup Moot Court Competition. Last year, we were also denied. The Embassy isn’t taking UTG and its students seriously,” said a student union leader.
He revealed the students and their coach submitted all the relevant documents including a letter of support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
A former Law student of the university told What’s On-Gambia: “I think the main reason why they were refused is they think the students might run away when they reach the USA. In 2017, we had two students that absconded and they are still there.”
But he added: “Just because they absconded doesn't mean everyone will.”
The Philip C. Jessup Moot Court Competition is an advocacy competition for law students. Teams of law students compete against one another through the presentation of oral and written pleadings to address timely issues of public international law in the context of a hypothetical legal dispute between nations.
The UTG participants who absconded in 2017 are Ousman Suwareh and Ensa Kinteh, who is now married to an African-American.