Mo Rephe Santi, a 2024 Mandela Washington Fellow from Lesotho, is participating in a unique cultural exchange program as part of his fellowship in the United States. The program, hosted by Georgia State University and the Georgia Supreme Court, aims to integrate fellows into the Atlanta community and provide them with firsthand experience of the American judicial system.
Santi recently had the opportunity to shadow Justice John J. Ellington on the bench during a hearing on a constitutional case regarding the 4th Amendment rights in Georgia. The central question of the case revolved around whether an anonymous tip about someone carrying a gun justifies a police stop-and-frisk.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the court unanimously ruled in favor of the appellant, finding that the Georgia Police Department had violated their 4th Amendment right to privacy.
“This experience offered a remarkable glimpse into the role of a judge in upholding fundamental rights,” Santi said. “Witnessing the emphasis placed on protecting citizens from unwarranted searches and the importance of access to justice was truly inspiring. It resonated deeply with the Latin phrase ‘Fiat justitia ruat caelum,’ which translates to ‘Let justice be done though the heavens fall.'”
