In a thrilling display of legal prowess, Starford International University emerged victorious in the fifth annual Inter-University moot court competition, designed to prepare the next generation of lawyers for the rigours of litigation.
Starford International University clinched the coveted title, narrowly defeating last year’s champions, the University of Juba, and securing their first-ever championship trophy.
This year’s competition, focused on International Humanitarian Law and organized by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), revolved around the theme of “Protections against sexual violence in times of armed conflict.”
The victorious law team from Starford International University will proudly represent South Sudan in the forthcoming All-Africa moot competition set to take place in Naivasha, Kenya, later this year, where they will face off against English-speaking counterparts from across the continent.
Commenting on the outcome in Juba on Thursday, the presiding judge, Maj. Peter Morbe, who serves as the head of the administration of Military Justice, offered valuable advice to law students, emphasizing the importance of applying their acquired knowledge of International Law in practical settings.
He stated, “I advise the University of Juba since they have been taking the lead for a long time, let them keep up the standard and let them not be reluctant because knowing a law is just acknowledgement, and you can’t benefit from it unless you apply it.”
Ukwa Abraham, the Dean of the College of Law at Starford International University, urged his students to represent South Sudan with excellence in the upcoming All-Africa moot competition. He emphasized the gravity of their responsibility, stating, “And to my team, I want to tell you frankly that you are not the best yet because you have a very big task ahead of you. As you leave from here, you are not just representing Starford; you are representing South Sudan. If you are defeated in the first round, you will bring shame to South Sudan, and this is something we have been emphasizing from the beginning.”
Dr. Biong Kuol Deng, the Dean of the School of Law at the University of Juba, graciously congratulated the students of Starford International University for breaking their university’s championship streak.
He highlighted the importance of competition, stating, “I would like to, first of all, congratulate the two teams, my team from the University of Juba and, of course, the Starford team. I especially congratulate Starford because they have disrupted the status quo, and for us, it is a positive development. Now we have genuine competitors.”
Darko Jordanov, the Head of Communication and Law at ICRC, reiterated the significance of not only knowing laws but also implementing them. He stated, “I would like to also emphasize what was said by the head of the jury, yes, laws are important, but what is more important is the implementation of the law. It is true; I have to admit we love to do this with ICRC, but this is only a part of what we are doing. Our primary focus and work revolve around collaboration with the army.”
Moot court competitions provide aspiring law students with a simulated real-court environment, allowing them to apply their legal knowledge in practice. These competitions aim to foster interest in international humanitarian law, raise awareness of legal matters in South Sudan, and cultivate advocacy skills among law students.