The Forum of children’s rights organisations in Togo (FODDET) on Tuesday accused Togolese parliamentarian Gabriel Ameyi of raping a 16-year-old girl pupil on 7 March and asked that his parliamentary immunity be lifted for the case to be investigated.
FODDET said rape was “sufficiently serious”, and on Monday presented a letter to the Speaker of the national assembly in Lomé asking for the lifting the parliam e ntary privilege of Ameyi, a member of the Togolese People’s Rally (RPT) and vice-president of the Togolese Football Association(FTF).
“The situation is serious and we must go to the very end of this case,” the Coor dinator of the network to fight the trade of children in Togo (RELUTET), Felicite Koublanou, declared.
Speaking at a news conference, Mrs Koublanou called on all civil society organisations to get involved in the fight for the girl’s honour.
Sources close to the organisations said the girl’s parents were forced to withdraw the complaint they had lodged against the MP.
FODDET said it instituted civil action, but the court refused to receive its suit because the defendant was covered by parliamentary privilege.
