made ·as a result of torture shall not be invoked as evidenced in any proceedings, except against a person accused of torture as evidence that the statement was made." 62. In its mandate to protect human rights, the Court always endeavours to ensure that all the obligations entrusted upon the States constitute an indivisible whole. In that sense, and in the light of the above-cited Articles 12 and 13, the Court is of the view that the State authorities are first and foremost required to investigate allegations of torture any time there are reasonable grounds to believe that such acts have been committed. ' ' 63. Hence, the Court considers that the allegations brought before it by the ' 0 Applicants in 2011 against the Republic of Togo do prove that there are ':. reasonable grounds to believe that such acts were perpetrated. Consequently, the Republic of Togo is under obligation to abide by the relevant provisions of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. Therefore, the Defendant State cannot make a claim on the ground that it had not been informed .of the existence of acts of torture. Thus, if it has not initiated inquiries into the matter since _... the case came before the instant Court, it ; ......•... . ' . . must take the appropriate- -measures to that effect, in accordance with the Article 12 cited above. \ 64. Consequently, the Court adjudges that at this stage of the proceedings, the Applicants' request that the Court find that there is violation of Articles 4 and 5 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples: Rights, Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Articles 7 and 10(i) of the International Covenant on Human and Peoples' Rights, in . ' terms of the alleged acts of torture, is premature and cannot thrive as at now. 65. The Applicants equally ask to be set aside, in accordance with Article 15 of the Convention against Torture, all the declarations extracted from them under duress, to be used as evidence in the proceedings brought against them. The Court is of the view that the Republic of Togo must ensure that its courts observe the provision cited above, for the purposes of ensuring that the Applicants are guaranteed fair trial. 16