02 Oct 2025

President Advocate Duma  Boko  has urged the judiciary to consider using clerkships to help reduce the research burden on judges within the legal system.

Speaking during the swearing in of members of the judicial system, President Boko said it was important to engage judicial clerkships as their role would assists a judge with legal research, writing and administrative tasks for cases before the court.

“These roles offer valuable experience in legal procedures and provide insights into judicial decision-making, therefore allowing for exposure to postgraduates to various legal fields and can serve as excellent references to their  legal professional resume and provide the necessary legal experience that could nurture the country’s judicial system ,” he said.

President Boko also administered oath of office on newly appointed Court of Appeal Judges, Advocate Sidney Pilane and Justice Modiri Letsididi, High Court Judge Mr William Moncho, Director of Public Prosecutions in the Ministry of Justice and Correctional Services, Mr Kgosietsile Ngakaagae as well as Mr Filbert Nagafela who is the new member of Judicial Service Commissioner.

“Our judiciary has been highly regarded in the African continent and we are simply restoring that glory as we strive for it to be respected and we trust that the appointment of the new judicial officials will nurture our judicial system,” he said.

President Boko highlighted that the appointment of the aforementioned marked a notable shift in the country’s judicial system as it was an addition of legal think tanks boasting priceless legal experience.

He emphasised the importance of appointing judges who embodied the values, wisdom, and jurisprudence necessary to guide society, noting that the calibre of judges shaped the nation’s future.

The appointments, he said were a mark of ultimate recognition and appreciation, adding that the appointment of the judges was worth all the accolades.

As the two jurists were elevated to the apex court, he said it was important to be cognisant that the Court of Appeal was infallible only because it was final.

“It is important to note that the decisions by the Court of Appeal are final and therefore there is an understanding that there are infallible and not open to scrutiny, but we must be mindful that the court of public opinion is always challenging some court decisions,” President Boko said.

He said the legal profession and the legal academy always interrogate some the court decisions and subjects them to probing, hence enriching the jurisprudence of any jurisdiction.

President Boko urged judicial officers not to wilt under scrutiny regardless of the harshness of the criticism, but rather bear it with fortitude.

He said it was satisfactory that the appointed members of the bench had risen to such position on merit and poised to withstand criticism. ENDS