GIABA Appoints New Director General

Mr. Kimelabalou Aba of the Togolese Republic has resumed office as the Director General of the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA).

He took over from Col. Adama Coulibaly of Cote d’Ivoire who led GIABA from February 3, 2014 to February 28, 2018.

A statement from the anti-money launder body described Aba as a Magistrate. He obtained an M.Phil. in 1999, Option Magistracy, from the National School of Administration (ENA) Lomé-Togo. Previously, he completed his primary and secondary studies leading to an Advanced Level School Certificate in Philosophy obtained at the Chaminade College in Kara, Togo, which led him to higher education. He opted for the Faculty of Law at the University of Benin in Lomé, Togo, where he graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Private Law obtained in 1994 and a Master’s degree in Business Law a year later.

Aba also holds a Post-graduate Professional Diploma in Fundamental Rights from the University of Nantes (France) in 2002 and obtained a Professional Masters Degree in African Cyber Law from the Gaston Berger University in Saint-Louis, Senegal.

Professionally, Aba has a wealth of diversified professional experiences. He served as a Judge at the African Court of Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR) in Arusha, Tanzania, in 2013 and 2014.

At national level, he has alternately served as Deputy Judge and Judge at the Lomé High Court from 2000 to 2006, Deputy State Prosecutor at the Lomé High Court from 2006 to 2012, then as Chief Justice President of the Vogan High Court from 2012 to 2014.

According to the statement, prior to his appointment as GIABA Director General, Aba held the position of Chief Justice of the Atakpamé Lower High Court in Togo since 2014. It also stated that has wealth of expertise in electoral matters. Thus, he served as Chairman of the Independent Local Electoral Commissions (TISC) of Vo and Ogou Districts from 2012 to 2015.

“The new Director General of GIABA is very familiar with the Institution he has just been appointed to head, having served as Expert representing the Ministry of Justice of Togo at the GIABA Technical Commission Meetings from 2010 to 2017 and as Co-chair of the Evaluation and Compliance Group (ECG) since November 2016, a position he held until his appointment,” the statement added.

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