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Gambia News: Commonwealth Workshop On Anti-Money Laundering to Take Place

The workshop aims to equip prosecutors and investigators to follow the money trail from crime in Commonwealth West African countries.

An anti-money laundering workshop is being organised by the Commonwealth Secretariat in The Gambia, in collaboration with the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing.

The workshop will take place in the country's capital, Banjul, from 15 to 19 October 2007.

The programme aims to provide a framework for prosecutors who are tasked with dealing with the proceeds of crime and terrorist financing.

Cecilia Marian, Adviser on Anti-Money Laundering at the Secretariat, who is co-ordinating the programme, said: "The workshop will impart valuable experience and knowledge to government officials by equipping prosecutors and other law enforcement officials with the skills and expertise to enable them to secure money laundering convictions and to forfeit the proceeds of crime."

Anti-money laundering efforts are aimed at deterring criminals from trying to use the financial system to filter their criminally derived funds and deprive criminals of their illegal gains.

Techniques to prosecute money launderers and surrender criminal proceeds will be taught at this workshop. According to Ms Marian, "these techniques will help law enforcement agencies to explore existing law further and also get a grasp of draft laws which will be enacted."

The training will be delivered by internal experts as well as experts from the Global Programme against Money Laundering, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime; and the Office of Technical Assistance, Financial Enforcement, US Treasury. Ms Marian hopes to extend this programme to other Commonwealth countries where needed.