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Niger court drops politically charged baby-trafficking case
President of the National Assembly and former prime minister Hama Amadou poses for a picture at his office in the National Assembly in Niamey, September 16, 2013. PHOTO BY REUTERS/Joe Penney
31/01/2015
NIAMEY (Reuters) - A court in Niger threw out charges on Friday against members of the political and social elite accused of trafficking newborn babies -- a case dismissed by the opposition as a plot to discredit its members.
Police started arresting 20 people, including the wives of several senior politicians, in June and said they wanted to question Hama Amadou, the main challenger to President Mahamadou Issoufou. Amadou fled the West African country, protesting his innocence.
Political tensions have risen in Niger since 2013 when Hama, once part of Issoufou's coalition, fell out with the president.
According to the prosecution, around 30 children were born to women in neighbouring Nigeria for the sole purpose of being sold to wealthy couples in Niger.
The accused, including Hama's wife, were charged with “supposition of a child” -- the act of falsely claiming parenthood of a child.
But a criminal court ruled on Friday it did not have the jurisdiction to try the case.
In their decision, the judges accepted the defence position that the state needed to first establish the parentage of the allegedly trafficked children in a civil court before criminal charges could be brought.
"The criminal case collapsed like a house of cards. There are no longer any criminal proceedings against anyone and my clients are free," Mossi Boubacar, a lawyer for Hama's family said. "Hama Amadou can return to the country."
Assistant state prosecutor Samna Chaibou told Reuters his team had appealed against the ruling "so the case will immediately go before the court of appeal".
It was not immediately clear if an arrest warrant against Hama, issued after his flight, had been lifted. He was also stripped of his position as parliament speaker.
Issoufou's government has accused Hama and his party, MODEN, of trying to destabilise the uranium-exporting nation.
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