ISOLAS LLP Partner, the Hon. Neil Costa, defended Mr Ahmed Farissi against a charge of strangulation in a 5-day criminal trial in the Supreme Court of Gibraltar between 5 and 9 January 2026.
Neil was assisted by Associate Danielle Erica Curtis BL, Trainee Barrister Solomon Kench and Paralegal Michael Opala, throughout proceedings. What initially appeared to be a case of one person’s word against another turned into a multi-layered criminal trial following the Crown’s introduction of additional contextual evidence. In cross-examination, Neil was able to expose several evidential inconsistencies in the complainant’s evidence. Most notably, at one point during his cross-examination of the complainant, Neil was able to elicit a response on an important issue in which the complainant admitted to giving evidence under oath that may have been false. This adroit ability to cross-examine the witness was likely crucial in the case. It is said that the cross-examination ‘likely’ proved crucial as jury deliberations are secret. The jury returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty.
