Court orders Chinese firm to pay injured cook N10m as damages

By Jethro Ibileke

Justice Abiola Adewemimo of the Benin Division of the National Industrial Court on Monday ordered a Chinese firm, Times Ceramics Limited, to pay one of its staff, Bukola Seidic, N10 million as damages for the injuries she sustained in the line of her duty to the company.

Bukola who worked as a cook for the company, had sustained 25 degree burns in the line of duty in 2018, after she slipped in the kitchen as a result of the slippery nature of tiles fixed on the floor.

During the accident, the soup the cook was carrying poured on her and she sustained “life-threatening injuries”.

The Court held that although the company took her to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), but when the Hospital requested for the sum of N250,000 from the management to carry out a surgery for the victim, the Company discharged her a few days later, against doctors’ advice.

According to Justice Adewemimo stated that he agreed with the victim’s evidence and her Counsel’s submission that the company took her to their clinic where she was poorly treated only to later abandon her to her fate, which amounts to negligence of duty care.

He noted that several letters written to the company by the victim’s counsel, Timothy Obasuyi and a civil society group, Freedom Ambassadors Organization, led by Comrade Curtis Ogbebor, were never responded to.

The Court said it believed the victim’s testimony that there was no safety wares and rejected evidence of the company’s Health Officer who testified that the victim did not wear safety boot and was not appropriately kitted while on duty, hence, she sustained injuries.

Justice Adewemimo, further noted that the health officer refused to call the workers who told him that she was not wearing safety wares to give evidence.

The Court, consequently, awarded the sum of N5 million as compensation for the injured victim, in addition to N5 million as damages for her destabilization, shock, disfigurement, frustration and pains suffered.

The Court also awarded the sum of N250,000 against the company.

Justice Adewemimo declared that the monies must be paid within 30 days of the judgement and that the the sum will attract interest rates upon failure to do so within the 30 days.