Court Orders Nigerian Bank to Pay Over N10m to Sacked Staff, Explains Decision

• The National Industrial Court has asked Ecobank Nigeria Limited to pay one of its sacked staff over N10 million
• The court said the dismissal was wrongful and that it was in breach of his right to a fair hearing
• John, the sacked staff has reportedly struggled to find new employment due to the circumstances of his dismissal

Legit.ng journalist Dave Ibemere has over a decade of experience in business journalism, with in-depth knowledge of the Nigerian economy, stocks, and general market trends.

he National Industrial Court in Benin ruled that Ecobank Nigeria Limited must pay N10 million in general damages to a former employee, John.

This ruling came after it was found that his dismissal was wrongful and violated his constitutional right to a fair hearing.

In a judgment delivered by Justice Adunola Adewemimo, the court held that John's termination breached the terms of his employment and the principles of fair hearing as enshrined in Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

Justice Adewemimo converted the letter of dismissal issued by Ecobank Nigeria Limited to John to a letter of termination, and ordered Ecobank Nigeria Limited to pay John the sum of N397,980.77k as salary in lieu of notice.

Also, the sum of N10 million as general damages, and the sum of N250,000.00 (Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) cost of action.

All payments are to be made within 30 days, with 10% interest per annum applicable if delayed

Ecobank denies wrongdoing

According to court documents, Mr. John was dismissed while hospitalised from bullet wounds sustained in an alleged assassination attempt linked to a fraud he had reported internally.

He claimed he was summoned before a disciplinary panel without any prior query and was dismissed unjustly while incapacitated.

Ecobank denied wrongdoing, asserting that John attempted to cover up his actions by reporting irregular loans and claiming false injuries.

The bank argued that it acted lawfully and within internal regulations, and urged the court to dismiss the case.

However, the court found Ecobank's position unconvincing.

It ruled that the bank failed to provide sufficient evidence, such as a disciplinary report, to justify its actions, Vanguard reports.

The judge held:

“The failure to allow John the opportunity to defend himself undermines the principles of natural justice and the Constitution."

The court, however, rejected John’s request to be absolved from repaying a personal loan he obtained during his employment, ruling that the claim lacked merit despite the loan being insured.

Justice Adewemimo emphasised the duty of employers to act within the confines of the law and their internal policies, particularly where dismissal can damage a worker’s reputation and livelihood.

Guinness Nigeria ex-employee takes company to court

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the National Industrial Court in Port Harcourt has asked Guinness Nigeria Plc to pay its former employee Bright Nwosu a total of N52.45 million.

Nwosu, a former Sales Executive with Guinness Nigeria Plc in 2004, pursued legal action following the termination of his employment on September 18, 2019

The court also declared as unacceptable the stipulation of the Guinness employees’ handbook that employees can be sacked without expressly stating the reason behind the sacking.

Source: Legit.ng