This case was filed on 2 September 2021 before the ECOWAS Court. The victim, a farmer and politician, was attacked and gang-raped on her farm in the presence of her children and other family relatives in April 2018. The victim reported the incident to the police, but no effective investigation has been done to date. Meanwhile, the victim is still traumatised by the attack and suffers various health complications.
The suit alleges that due to the lack of effective investigation and prosecution of the perpetrator, Sierra Leone has violated the victim’s right to remedy and access to justice, and has also failed in its obligation to protect the victims’ rights to dignity and to freedom from torture, cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment, as well as discrimination. Rights and obligations enshrined in several treaties to which Sierra Leone is party, notably the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women and the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights.
The Plaintiff requests the ECOWAS Court to declare Sierra Leone is liable for these human rights violations; to order Sierra Leone to pay the victim monetary compensation for damages suffered, to provide the victim medical and psychosocial support, and to put in place several other structural measures to curb the prevalence of all forms of sexual violence against women.
UPDATES:
19 September 2024: Court notifies parties of hearing scheduled for 27 September 2024.
25 September 2024: Applicant’s Counsel sends request for adjournment to the Court.
27 September 2024: Case called for hearing. Applicant draws Court’s attention to request for adjournment. Court grants Applicant’s request; adjourns to 4 November 2024. Respondent State was absent from Court.
