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Republic of Togo Violates the Right to Fair Trial of a former ASKY Airlines Pilot, ECOWAS Court Rules
Republic of Togo Violates the Right to Fair Trial of a former ASKY Airlines Pilot, ECOWAS Court Rules
By: Michael Mike
The ECOWAS Court of Justice has held that the Republic of Togo violated Mr. Al-Hassan Dibassi Fadia’s right to a fair trial under Article 7(2) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights 1981.
Fadia, a former pilot with ASKY Airlines, claimed that Togo violated his human rights through disciplinary measures taken against him by ANAC-Togo, the national civil aviation authority of Togo, following accusations of falsifying flight records.
In a judgment delivered by Justice Edward Amoako Asante, President of the Court and judge rapporteur in the case, the Court ordered the Republic of Togo to pay 15 million CFA francs in general damages to Fadia.
The Court also ordered Togo to reverse and expunge the disciplinary measures from its official records.
In an application filed with the ECOWAS Court in 2023, Mr. Al-Hassan Fadia, a pilot formerly employed by ASKY Airlines, said that he passed the practical test for the Airline Transport Pilot License for Aeroplanes in France in 2019 and was duly issued a French ATPL(A) pilot license, which he converted to a Guinea-Bissau ATPL(A) license. ANAC-Togo, the civil aviation authority in Togo, validated his Guinea-Bissau license for use with ASKY Airlines.
After further training, the Applicant said that he was promoted to captain with ASKY Airlines in November 2020. However, shortly afterward, ANAC-Togo accused him and two other pilots of falsifying flight records to obtain their licenses.
Following proceedings before the Disciplinary Board of ANAC-Togo, Mr. Fadia’s license to fly as captain was withdrawn, and he was required to resume further tutelage as a “Pilot in Command under Supervision” (PICUS). ASKY Airlines subsequently terminated his employment.
In his application to the Court, Fadia argued that the disciplinary measures taken against him by the Togolese civil aviation authorities violated his right to equality and equal protection of the law, his right to a fair trial, and his right to work.
In its defence, the Republic of Togo stated that during the validation of a French ATPL(A) license for ASKY pilot Mr. Aurelien Rami, ANAC-Togo found irregularities in his flight records, prompting an investigation into the files of other ASKY Airline pilots. The investigation revealed that Captain Andriamora, Chief Pilot at ASKY, conspired with Mr. Rami and Mr. Fadia to fraudulently obtain their licenses by falsifying flight logbook entries. It is for these reasons that disciplinary measures were taken against the Applicant.
The Respondent, therefore, maintained that all actions taken were lawful and urged the Court to dismiss the application as unfounded.
In its judgment, the Court found that the offences for which Fadia was tried at the Disciplinary Board and the sanctions imposed were enacted under Ministerial Order No. 033/2021/MTRAF of 29 July 2021, after he had been accused of falsifying records in his flight logbook.
The Court, therefore, concluded that the disciplinary measures violated the protection against retroactive application of laws under Article 7(2) of the African Charter.
However, the Court concluded that the link between Fadia’s dismissal by ASKY Airlines and the alleged breach of his right to work by the Republic of Togo was not convincingly established. Nor was the Applicant able to show that he had been subjected to unjustifiably selective treatment in violation of his right to equality and equal protection of the law, given that he was subjected to the same disciplinary measures as his co-accused pilots.
The panel included Hon. Justice Gberi-Bè Ouattara and Hon. Justice Sengu Mohamed Koroma.
Republic of Togo Violates the Right to Fair Trial of a former ASKY Airlines Pilot, ECOWAS Court Rules
Farmer Injured in Machete Attack by Herder in Plateau
By Zagazola Makama
A farmer, Mr Charles Tuwan, has sustained machete injuries following an alleged attack by a herder during a dispute over grazing on farmland in Pankshin Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The incident occurred at about 6:53 p.m. on August 23, 2026, at Tekas Community, where troops of Sector 8, Operation ENDURING PEACE, operating under Operation HARD KNOCK, responded to a report of an assault.
Security sources said the dispute reportedly started after the farmer refused to allow the herder to graze cattle on his farmland.
On arrival at the scene, the troops found Tuwan with machete cuts sustained during the attack.
The alleged attacker, identified as Abdullahi Saleh, had reportedly fled the area with his cattle before the arrival of the troops.
The injured farmer was evacuated to Pankshin General Hospital for medical attention.
Troops are currently intensifying efforts to locate and arrest the suspect for investigation and possible prosecution.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions between farming and herding communities in parts of Plateau State, underscoring the need for early intervention in disputes over farmland and grazing to prevent isolated incidents from escalating into wider communal violence.
Farmer Injured in Machete Attack by Herder in Plateau
Unidentified Corpse with Gunshot Wound Found Along Road in Plateau
By Zagazola Makama
Troops of Operation ENDURING PEACE have recovered the corpse of an unidentified person bearing a gunshot wound along a roadside in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The corpse was discovered at about 9:30 p.m. on August 23, 2026, along the Farin Lamba axis, close to the Primary Health Centre in Riyom.
Troops of Sector 6, Operation ENDURING PEACE, responded to the report and found the body with an apparent gunshot wound to the stomach.
However, security personnel observed that there were no visible traces of blood or spent ammunition casings around the scene.
The circumstances led investigators to suspect that the body may have been transported from another location and dumped at the scene.
The corpse was evacuated to the Primary Health Centre mortuary in Riyom, while the youth leader of Tahoss Community was contacted to assist in identifying the deceased.
Troops have continued to dominate the general area as investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death and possible identity of the victim continues.
Unidentified Corpse with Gunshot Wound Found Along Road in Plateau
Troops Rescue Kidnap Victim, Recover AK-47 Rifle After Gun Battle in Kogi
By Zagazola Makama
Troops operating under the Joint Security operation in the 2 Division Area of Responsibility have rescued a 28-year-old kidnap victim and recovered an AK-47 rifle following a gun battle with suspected kidnappers in Kogi State.
The operation, according to security sources, took place at about 0300 hours on August 24, 2026, when troops from Patrol Base Obajana intercepted the victim, identified as Hussaini Shehu.
Preliminary questioning revealed that Shehu had allegedly been abducted from the Abaji general area of the Federal Capital Territory about five days earlier.
The rescued victim subsequently led the troops to the location where he had been held captive.
Security sources said the troops made contact with the suspected kidnappers and engaged them in a firefight, forcing the criminals to abandon an AK-47 rifle and flee into the surrounding area.
The weapon was recovered by the troops, while the victim was evacuated to the military medical centre for medical attention.
Security forces have continued operations in the area to track the fleeing kidnappers and prevent them from regrouping.
The latest operation underscores the importance of intelligence-led patrols and rapid exploitation of information obtained from rescued victims in disrupting kidnapping networks operating across the FCT-Kogi corridor.
Troops Rescue Kidnap Victim, Recover AK-47 Rifle After Gun Battle in Kogi
Farmer Injured in Machete Attack by Herder in Plateau
Unidentified Corpse with Gunshot Wound Found Along Road in Plateau
Troops Rescue Kidnap Victim, Recover AK-47 Rifle After Gun Battle in Kogi
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