ECOWAS court to sit in Togo

The ECOWAS Court of Justice will hold a session at
the Supreme Court, Lome, Togo, from Feb. 10 to
14, to determine 18 cases.
This was contained in a statement issued by the
court’s Information Officer, Mr Félicien Hounkanrin,
on Wednesday in Abuja.
“In deciding to hold the court hearing in another
member state, the court enhances effective
administration of justice by opening up
opportunities for the parties to have access to
justice,” it said.
It stated that this activity forms part of the official
work programme of the court, noting that it upheld
Article 26 of Protocol A/P1/7/91 on the court.
The Article provides that: “… where the
circumstances or facts of the case so demand, the
court may decide to sit in the territory of another
member state”.
“Upon an express request by the parties in the five
cases brought by Bourama Sininta and Others
against the Republic of Mali, the lawyers requested
the court to sit in Bamako, Mali.
“Owing to transport costs and distance, the
lawyers also requested that the court could as well
sit in any other member state of ECOWAS.
“The court accepted their request and made an
order to that effect, that an external court session
should be held in Lome, Republic of Togo, to hear
the parties,” it said.
The statement said that this approach gives
practical expression to the court’s desire to bring
justice to the doorstep of the community citizen,
thereby placing a premium on regional integration.
It, however, said that in hosting such external
court sessions, the member states fulfill on their
part a significant role towards the legal and judicial
integration of West Africa.
The ECOWAS Community Court of Justice, which
seats in Abuja, organises external court sitting on
annual basis on the request of parties in a case.
At its last sitting on Feb. 2, the court ordered the
Federal Government to free a soldier, Alimu
Akeem, an aide to former Chief of Army Staff, Gen.
Victor Malu, who had been detained since 2006.
The court also ordered the Federal Government to
pay Akeem N5 million as damages for unlawful
detention.