ECOWAS Community Court of Justice (Application No. ECW\/CCJ\/APP\/08\/08) Judgment No. ECW\/CCJ\/JUD\/06\/08 of 27 October 2008<\/p>\n
Hadijatou Mani Koraou v. The Republic of Niger<\/p>\n
\u00ab\u00a0In 1996, while she was only twelve (12) years old, the applicant, Mrs. Hadijatou Mani Koraou, of the Bouzou custom was sold to the tribe chief, Mr. El Hadj Souleymane Naroua, of the Haoussa custom, aged 46 years old, for two hundred and forty thousand (240.000) CFA francs. This transaction occurred in the name of the \u201cWahiya\u201d, a current practice in Niger consisting of acquiring a young girl, generally a slave, to work as a servant as well as a concubine. The slave woman who is bought under these conditions is called \u201cSadaka\u201d or fifth wife, i.e. a wife who is not one of the legally married wives, the number of which cannot exceed four (4), according to Islam\u2019s Recommendations.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n
The ECOWAS Court : \u00ab\u00a0Says that Mrs. Hadijatou Mani Koraou was victim of slavery and that the Republic of Niger is responsible because of its administrative and judicial authorities\u2019 inaction; Accepts Mrs. Hadijatou Mani Koraou\u2019s request for reparation for the harmed suffered and grants an all-inclusive compensation of ten millions cfa francs (10.000.000)\u00a0\u00bb.<\/p>\n
Download translation of judgment here.<\/a><\/p>\n