The National Industrial Court Enugu Division has awarded N10 million as damages to a carpenter Arinze Okeke, nine years after he was pushed down from the third floor by an expatriate.
The carpenter was working for Arab Contractors during the construction of Enugu State Secretariate Complex in year 2013, during Gov. Sullivan Chime’s Administration.
The artisan worker in a minor squabble, was pushed down from the 3rd floor of the construction site by a tempramental expatriate worker described as Engr Lateef Abdul.
This unfortunate incident generated great confusion, upheaval and pandemonium at the construction site, as many thought, the young man who was pushed down had died.
Consequently, workers of Arab Contractors OAO Nig Ltd at the Enugu State Secretariat construction site ran beserk, and riotous , resulting to the physical intervention of the then Commissioner of Police, Enugu Command and other government team, to quell the uprising.
The artisan workers at the construction site embarked on many days strike, to protest what they termed high-handedness of their expatriate supervisor- Engr Lateef Abdul.
Mr Okeke was rushed to Niger Foundation Hospital where he later regained consciousness and was admitted for weeks.
The injured capenter approached human right and constitutional lawyer in Enugu State, Mr Ogochukwu Onyema of OAU Onyema & Co, and they instituted an action at National Industrial Court.
The matter which lingered for nine years came to an end on 21/5/2021 when the trial judge appraised all the submissions of the learned counsels on both sides, and the stiff opposition held by the chambers of a renowned veteran lawyer Chief P.M.B. Onyia who vehemently opposed any award to Claimant.
After painstakingly resolving the issues raised by the lawyers, the court still saw merit in the case of the capenter.
In a virtual court judgement on 21/5/2021
in Suit No NICN/EN/759/2014 Justice O. O. Arowosegbe held that the defendants owe the Claimant a duty of care which they failed to uphold.
“That the life threatening injuries suffered by the Claimant was as a result of the breach of duty of care and negligent attitude of the defendants.
“That the 2nd defendant committed a Tort of trespass to person specifically Civil Assault and Battery.’
The court finally awarded a cost of litigation of 700,000 and General compensatory damages of N10,000,000:00 to the Claimant, Mr Arinze Okoke the capenter.
