Court fixes date to hear N100m suit filed against CCECC by worker

The National Industrial Court on Monday fixed July 1 to hear a suit filed by a staff of the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation Ltd. (CCECC), Godspower Ntaka, for N100 million in damages.

The payment for damages is for emotional trauma, psychological anxiety, mental stress, arising from his ordeal at the hands of armed robbers during official duty.

Justice Olufunke Anuwe fixed the date after taking the applications of both counsels.

The claimant’s counsel, Reuben Ejeh, informed the court that they had two pending applications and subject to court’s convenience was ready to proceed.

The applications, which sought to amend Statement of Facts and to file additional Witness Statements on Oath were not opposed to by the defence counsel, Oyegbami Ahmed.

Mr. Ahmed on his part equally made an oral application for leave of court to deem their amended Statement of Defence filed, as properly filed.

Mr. Ejeh, in response, did not object to the application of the defence counsel.

Justice Olufunke Anuwe, granted the applications of both counsel as prayed.

She thereafter adjourned the matter until July 1, for hearing.

Newsmen reports that the claimant (Nkata), in his statement of facts filed on March 27, stated that he was attacked by armed robbers on August 25, 2012 while on an official errand as a security supervisor.

He said he was in company of two other workers, Emeka Amadi, the company’s chief security officer, and Bennett Kalu, a driver in the company.

He said Mr. Kalu was discovered to have been killed by the robbers after he (claimant) and Mr. Amadi reported to the police and in company of the police returned to the scene of the robbery.

The claimant said thereupon, the police took him and Mr. Amadi to the Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS) where he was detained from August 29, 2012, until October 11, 2012.

He said that it took the services of a private lawyer who filed for the enforcement of his fundamental right at an FCT High Court before he was released from SARS.

The claimant said he was then charged to court and was in prison custody from May 2013 until September 2018 when he was discharged and acquitted.

He averred that his ordeal was a result of an official errand he was sent to do by the company and that the company abandoned him.

The company, he said, stopped his salary while in prison custody and took no steps either to defend him or offer any succour.

He said after his discharge and acquittal, the company has not taken any step to rehabilitate him and pay compensation.

He, therefore, seeks the court’s declaration that he was still a staff of the company and entitled to all the rights, privileges and benefits due to him by reason of his employment.

The claimant is equally seeking for the order of the court to direct the company to pay all his outstanding salaries, benefits, and entitlement since 2014.

In addition, he is asking for the sum of N100 million as damages for the abandonment emotional trauma and psychological anxiety, discriminatory treatment, loss of opportunity to further his education, inconvenience, and hardship among others.

Credit: Premium Times