Forensic Science Communication and Expert Witness Training for Nigerian Practitioners

The ability of forensic scientists to communicate technical findings clearly and credibly in court is as important as the scientific quality of those findings in determining the evidential impact of forensic science on criminal justice outcomes. This study evaluates the quality of expert witness communication among Nigerian forensic practitioners and assesses the effectiveness of targeted training interventions. A professional development research design was employed, administering pre-and post-training assessments to sixty forensic practitioners from across four geopolitical zones who participated in a structured expert witness communication programme developed for the study. Assessments evaluated clarity of testimony, handling of cross-examination, appropriate qualification of uncertainty, and avoidance of overstatement. The study also analyses court transcript data from twenty-five cases in which trained practitioners subsequently testified. Findings indicate significant improvements across all communication dimensions following training, with mean assessment scores rising from fifty-one to seventy-eight percent. Court transcript analysis confirms reduced rates of overstatement and improved handling of probabilistic evidence explanation. Judges and legal practitioners in post-testimony interviews rated trained examiners more favourably than untrained controls on clarity and credibility dimensions. Recommendations include the incorporation of expert witness communication training as a mandatory component of continuing professional development for all Nigerian forensic practitioners registered with the Nigerian Institute of Forensic Science. Keywords: expert witness, forensic communication, court testimony, training, Nigeria.