By Neo Kolane
A local team of practising lawyers had their first ever moot court competition so as to improve public speaking and confidence of high school students in Lesotho
The moot court competition falls under the Orate Africa Trust which is an organisation that is dedicated to the development of the oratory talent in Africa.
Orate Africa has six competitive tracks, debate, public speaking, spelling bee, quiz, moot court and short stories as well as essays.
The trust was launched in the High Court of Lesotho in 2019.
In an interview with theReporter this week, the country representative of Orate Africa Trust in for Lesotho Advocate Kamohelo Khoboko explained that the competition helps in improving research abilities and exposure to the legal field to high school students.
With the first ever moot court competition being held in Lesotho this past weekend since the inception of the trust in Lesotho. The Peka born explained the competition of a moot court as a simulation of a real court proceedings saying that there are what are called moot problems.
“Moot problems is a set of facts or statements that are happening that are afforded on real issues for instance gender based violence.
“The students will have to argue the legal implications of the scenarios in the moot problem attaching legal concepts to them,”Khoboko detailed.
The legal consultant at T. Mahlakeng Attorneys said the students will have to present their speaking skills to the moot problem and their research and basically exposure to law.
Khoboko disclosed that they chose high school students because moot court generally is an event for law students around the world.
He emphasized that happens primarily at the university level, and they we figured it would be imperative to start at high school level.
The 26-year old admitted that due to the complex issues of the moot court in the country, high school is better because they have a certain method of writing as opposed to primary students.
Khoboko added that as a team of practising lawyers they are hoping to influence policy makers on areas where the law has not been introduced, because they focus on critical thinking of students.
Khoboko who has been practising law for one and a half year said the past competition which was held in Maseru was a success and were caught by surprise as they were able to apply law to the scenario of the problem
“The students were able to make arguments and were able to relate to the cases and to the constitution.
“When it comes to speaking; they were able to engage with the panel and the judge. They were able to refer to the constitution and execute it in terms of speaking,” he revealed.
Advocate Khoboko can be contacted on +266-5954 3434
