Niger was Friday ordered to pay compensation to the family of former president Ibrahim Bare Mainassara, who was killed by members of the presidential guard in a 1999 coup.
Five judges sitting at the ECOWAS Court of Justice said Niamey should pay a total of 435 million CFA francs (663,000 euros, $750,000) to Mainassara’s widow, five children and 11 brothers and sisters.
The panel at the court in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, ruled unanimously that “the right to life of president Ibrahim Bare Mainassara has been violated”.
Eleven members of the former president’s family sought redress in the court in December 2013, urging it to compel the Niger government to identify the assassins and bring them to justice.
“The right of the applicants’ access to justice has‎ been violated by the government of Niger,” the court said in a judgment read in French by Justice Alioune Sall.
The former leader’s widow will receive 75 million CFA francs, each of his five children will get 50 million CFA francs, while 10 million CFA francs will go to his 11 siblings, it added.
The court’s decisions are binding on all members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and are final and not subject to appeal.
Mainassara, a 49-year-old army general, was killed at a military base on April 9, 1999, three years after himself seizing power in a coup following disputed elections.
The junta that seized power was replaced by a civilian government that December.
Djibrilla Bare Mainassara‎, one of the ex-president’s brothers, was in court on Friday and said the issue of compensation was immaterial to the family.
But he told AFP in English: “We are very satisfied with the judgment.
“We are particularly satisfied that the court said the rights to life of president Bare (Mainassara) was violated.
“We are also satisfied that the court held that our right to have access to justice was violated.”
