Girl freed from slavery in Niger

  1. Posted on Tuesday 28 October 2008 - 09:20
    Murtala
    Image of Murtala
    Murtala Mohamed Kamara, AfricaNews reporter in Freetown, Sierra Leone Photo: El Pais
    The Niger government has been fined $19,750 by the West African Court for failing to protect Hadijatou Mani, 24 from slavery. Mani said she was sold 10 years ago for $500 to Souleymane Naroua a slave master. Despite arguing that it has done all it can to eradicate slavery, a judge ordered the compensation.
    mani
    She said during the last 10 years she had suffered series of physical torture and rape. "I was beaten so many times I would run to my family, then after a day or two I would be brought back. At the time I didn't know what to do but since I learned that slavery has been abolished I told myself that I will no longer be a slave,” she said.

    A local court in Niger had to sentence her to six month imprisonment after she was freed by her master and tried to marry another man. Earlier this year Mani took her case to the ECOWAS court accusing the Niger government of failing to protect her from slavery which criminalized slavery some five years ago, according to the BBC.

    It is reported that over 40,000 slaves are in Niger whiles Mali and Mauritania are still practicing this colonial act.

    See a large photo of Hadijatou Mani

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