Magistrates and Law Enforcement Officers of the South West Court of Appeal are being drilled on the basics of gathering, analysing and authenticating digital evidence in an effort to enhance the prosecution of cybercrimes. This is taking place within the ambit of a three-day awareness raising seminar organised by ANTIC to this effect in Limbe.

Speaking at the outset of the seminar Wednesday August 02, the Head of ANTIC's South West Regional Branch Office, Mr. Besong Egbe Divine, while representing the Director General of ANTIC, hinted that the seminar seeks to enhance the existing collaboration between ANTIC and Law Enforcement Officers with regard to the tracking and apprehension of cybercriminals.

He noted that ANTIC as the technical arm of the state is endowed with a forensic laboratory and specialised tools that permit it to provide judges with scientifically proven digital evidence based on metadata which informs their decision making process during cybercrime trials. “The quality of these informed decisions based on proven digital evidence helps strengthen the credibility of our magistrates and boost their ability to earn the trust of all those who have a stake in the process” he added. Pursuant to this, he pledged ANTIC's readiness and availability to respond to the needs of the judiciary whenever solicited particularly with regard to the authentication of different forms of electronic communication, in the likes of WhatsApp chats, SMS and emails.

Participants, it should be said were during the Limbe seminar lectured on issues such as digital evidence gathering; sanctions against cybercrime; digital public order; security watch and incident handling; the challenge of user identification; domain name litigation; social media communica techniques, personal data protection on social media.

The President of the South West Court of Appeal, Mr. Ngem Ngute Paul, represented the Minister of State, Minister of Justice and Keeper of the Seals at the opening ceremony and urged participants to avail themselves and get abreast of insights with regard to cybercrime and cybersecurity legislation as well as digital evidence in an effort to boost their capacities in the prosecution of cybercrimes.