In Guin society, justice is not only a matter of written laws. For centuries, the Akangban sanctuary has functioned as a customary court. Neither a state court nor a simple village assembly, it is a unique institution where law, religion and politics converge.
What is Akangban?
The term designates a sanctuary, a clan and a kinship system. As a court, it settles disputes ranging from land conflicts to family quarrels, witchcraft accusations and religious taboo violations. The court applies Guin customary law — an oral body of rules based on precedents, ancestor teachings and divination. Decisions are memorized by elders and transmitted orally.
How a session unfolds
An Akangban session always begins with libation. Elders pour water and palm gin invoking Togbe Agbami, the divinity of justice. Parties argue. Witnesses are heard. Elders deliberate. The court's authority rests on community consensus — ignoring a judgment means excluding oneself from the community.
Akangban in contemporary Togo
Akangban coexists with Togo's modern judicial system. Litigants choose between customary and state courts depending on the dispute. Family matters and customary land conflicts are usually settled at Akangban. Serious criminal cases belong exclusively to state justice — an example of legal pluralism.