WSU MOOT COURT SOCIETY TRIUMPHS TO COMPETE IN RWANDA

Walter Sisulu University has once again demonstrated its commitment to excellence and advocacy in human rights through the commendable performance of its Moot Court Society at the prestigious Christof Heyns: African Human Rights competition.

The event, held in July at the University of Rwanda, attracted top legal minds from across the continent. WSU was represented by Bachelor of Laws (LLB) students Kamva Mbangata, the Moot Court Chairperson, and Bonolo Ramela, the Secretary.

“The competition went relatively well, we had good competition. While we have not made it to the quarterfinals, we were happy with our results. We scored 78% for our Heads of Arguments and a combined average of 75.7% for oral submissions,” said Mbangata.

This annual event brings together all law faculties in Africa, whose top students argue a hypothetical human rights case as if they were before the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

 The Competition continuously prepares new generations of lawyers to argue cases of alleged human rights violations before the African Court.

“To me, this competition was a way for me to show others who are in a similar position to mine that they should just take the first step. This was my first moot court competition ever and I remember right before the auditions I wanted to quit. Thanks to Advocate Bodlani I did not have that choice,” said Ramela.

The Hypothetical case for the 33rd edition in Kigali tackled issues on business and human rights, privacy and personal data protection and unconstitutional change of governments.

“We were eager to see how other law students interpreted and applied the law to the facts compared to our own approach. Also, we were excited to share this experience with peers from across the continent, learning from them about how they run their moot court societies to improve our own at home,” said Mbangata.

The qualification process for the competition involved two stages. First, students had to draft heads of arguments, showcasing their legal writing skills. Second, they presented these arguments before a panel chaired by WSU Law Clinic Director, Advocate Akhona Bodlani, demonstrating their advocacy skills.

By Anita Roji