Unlawful sack: Court grants virtual evidence in N108b suit

The National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), Lagos, has granted virtual evidence in favour of Dr Ayodeji Sasegbon, a former staff of Total Energies E & P.

Dr Sasegbon has filed a N108 billion suit against Total Energies E & P Nigeria Limited (TEPNG) and its parent company Total Energies SE (TOTAL ESE) for alleged wrongful termination of his appointment as a process engineer – Smart Room.

The trial judge, Sanda Audu Yelwa gave the ruling following a motion on notice seeking for an order of the court to take the evidence of the claimant virtually.

The motion, argued by Aniekan Obong, who stood in for her principal at Strachan Partners, Mr. Yemi Candide-Johnson (SAN), contended that the claimant is in England where he is receiving treatment for debilitating illness and trauma occasioned by the shocking and devastating effect of the wrongful termination of his appointment by Total Energies.

But the defendants represented by Lawal Kazeem of Templars opposed the motion.

Justice Yelwa, however, granted the claimant’s prayer and adjourned it to January 28, 2025, for hearing by Zoom.

In the suit marked NICN/LA/155/2023, Sasegbon, is asking NICN to award him a total sum of N108,720,718,580.91 (Approximately $138 million in July 2023 when the case was filed).

The award is demanded as special, general and futuristic damages for wrongful termination of employment, loss of prospect of employment, mental, emotional and physical injury, defamation of character and character assassination.

The claimant stated that he received a letter of termination executed on behalf of the TEPNG by the Executive Director, Corporate Affairs & Services, Mr Abiodun Afolabi dated July 19, 2018.

Having not received any prior query and given that the letter of July 19, 2018, gave no reason for the termination of his employment, he, by a letter dated July 31, 2018, appealed to the then Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of TEPNG, Mr Nichola Terraz for a review and reconsideration.

However, by a letter dated August 6, 2018, signed on behalf of TEPNG by Paul Odekina, Executive General Manager, Human Resources, TEPNG rejected his appeal.