Court orders Ecobank to pay ex-staff N8.5m for wrongful dismissal

The National Industrial Court, Abuja, on Friday ordered Ecobank Plc to pay Mr Uche Abrah , the sum of N8.5 million as his cumulative salary arrears and gratuity from 2006 to 2014.

The court made the order after considering evidences in a case of wrongful dismissal instituted by Abrah against the bank.

The judge, Justice Peter Lifu, in the verdict, declared that the claimant’s dismissal from the employment was wrongful and illegal.

He, however, said that the claimant shall be paid three months salary in lieu of notice as dated in the defendant’s termination of employment policy.

Lifu stated that the claimant should be paid his gratuity from the period of his engagement by the defendant, commencing from Aug. 2006 to Jan. 4, 2014 and also salaries from the period of indefinite suspension.

He further ordered that a sum of N30, 000 should be paid as cost of suit and "the judgment should be fulfilled within 30 days or else attract an interest of 10 percent per annum’’.

Abrah had approach the court with prayer that he was dismissed on the ground of alleged conspiracy to steal over N2 million from the bank.

He had told the court that before his dismissal, he was suspended even when there was no evidence to prove the allegation against him.

Commenting on the verdict, the claimant’s counsel, Edwin Agbu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the judgment could not have gone otherwise because the bank had no evidence to back its allegations.

He expressed joy and satisfaction over the case, stating that the claimant was happy for receiving justice at last.