Sexual Assault: Teacher Sues Yakurr LG Chair for N50m

In Breaking News, Reports

I Don’t Care – LG Chair

story by crossriverwatch admin

Mrs. Virginia Okoi Chinedu, a mother of three and teacher at the Holy Child Convent Primary School, Ugep has sued the Executive Chairman of Yakurr Local Government for N50m for allegedly assaulting her physically and sexually.

Joining the Yakurr Local Government Council as 2nd Defendant in Suit No HUG/24/2012, filed in the High Court of Cross River State, Ugep Judicial Division on August 24, 2012, the Claimant, Mrs. Virginia Okoi made thirty six claims including that:

The Claimant avers that on the 18th of July, 2012 at about 2.30pm, the Claimant was battered by the 1st Defendant at the official residence of the Chairman of Yakurr Local Government Area Council, Ugep where the Claimant had been directed to see the 1st Defendant concerning the withholding of her two months (April and May 2012) salaries on the prompting or instigation or directive or order of the 1st Defendant in his capacity as the Chairman of the 2nd Defendant.

The Claimant avers that there was no reason whatsoever given by the 2nd Defendant for the withholding of her salary for April and May 2012 as she had no disciplinary problem to warrant the withholding of her salary.

The Claimant avers that the withholding of her salary was an act of oppression and vindictiveness on the part of the 1st Defendant to break her after she spurned the amorous advances and suggestions of the 1st Defendant.

The Claimant avers that the 1st Defendant does not use his office as the Chairman of the 2nd Defendant but rather prefers to use his official residence as his office to carry out his schedule as Chairman of the 2nd Defendant.

The Claimant avers that the 1st Defendant had previously invited her to see him at Hill Top Hotel (Guest House) Ugep, over the matter which she refused to honour because she considered it not appropriate for the 1st Defendant to be inviting her to a hotel to discuss an official matter such as the non payment of her salary.

The Claimant avers that this was what informed her decision to go to the official residence of the 1st Defendant to see the 1st Defendant on the 18th of July, 2012.

The Claimant avers that on reaching the residence of the 1st Defendant, she met two police officers at the gate who upon inquiry told the Claimant that the 1st Defendant was at home.

The Claimant on entering the compound or residence of the 1st Defendant met two security officers who permitted and cleared her to see the 1st Defendant.

The 1st Defendant was sitting at the balcony of his residence and as the Claimant was walking towards the 1st Defendant, the Claimant heard the 1st Defendant shouting on top of his voice “go back”.
The Claimant avers that she thought the 1st Defendant was talking to the two men who were behind her.
The 1st Defendant stood aggressively and menacingly walking towards the Claimant and the two other men still shouting “go back”.

In a split second, the 1st Defendant pounced on the Claimant and dealt a resounding slap on the left hand side of the Claimant’s face. The 1st Defendant then pounced on the Claimant, holding her by her shoulders and shoved her unto the ground. Due to the slap unleashed by the 1st Defendant, the Claimant’s left ear started bleeding profusely.

The 1st Defendant thundered “thank God people are here, I would have killed you and thrown you away and nobody will see your corpse then I will see how you’ll come and collect your seized salary, I will ensure you starve with your children”.

The Claimant was thereafter rescued by the security people in the residence. The Claimant sustained bruises all over her face as a result of the impact of the slap and rough shoving by the 1st Defendant.
After a day of the incident, the 1st Defendant visited the home of the Claimant with a retinue of personal aides to plead that the Claimant forgives him.

The 1st Defendant pleaded that he was suffering from a troubled conscience after realizing that the Claimant was unfairly treated and humiliated by him. The 1st Defendant offered the sum of N15, 000 to the Claimant which he said the Claimant should use for her treatment.

The Claimant avers that when the gravity of what the 1st Defendant did dawned on him, he quickly pleaded with some of his political friends and associates including Hon. Bassey Eko Ewa, Member of the House of Representatives (Abi/Yakurr Federal Constituency) to intercede and prevail on the Claimant to simmer down.

A meeting was called by Hon. Bassey Ewa in the office of the Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party in the State at the PDP state secretariat, Calabar on or about the 24th of July, 2012. The 1st Defendant attended the meeting but the Claimant turned down the entreaties of the 1st Defendant and his friends not to take action against the 1st Defendant.

The Claimant avers that the 1st Defendant looked down on her and considered her an object of his sexual curiosity and fantasies hence the 1st Defendant’s hostility towards her which culminated in the malicious and vicious assault, dehumanization and battery on the 18th of July, 2012.

The 1st Defendant has a reputation of being violent and unruly. Since his assumption of office he has assaulted and beaten up several people including Augustine Omini Iwara (Hydro), Felix Okoi Uket, Marshal Ofem, Eclipses Ofem, etc.

Crossriverwatch gathered that Mrs. Okoi reported the matter to the Ugep Police where the Divisional Police Officer, DPO invited her and took her statement but since then, the police have not been able to invite the Chairman to give account of his actions.

Mrs. Okoi also wrote a petition to the wife of the Cross River State Governor, Mrs. Obioma Imoke. But the Cross River First Lady and other political leaders in the state are said to be routing for an out of court settlement which Mrs. Okoi has refused.

She is now through her solicitors Obono, Obono and Associates praying the court for:

1. A declaration that the assault, battery and dehumanization unleashed by the 1st Defendant at the official residence of the Chairman of the Yakurr Local Government Area on the Claimant on the 18th of July, 2012 amount to abuse of the dignity of her person and degrading treatment by virtue of Section 34, Subsection 1 (a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as altered and amended).

2. A declaration that the violent, cruel and unbecoming behavior of the 1st Defendant by the unprovoked assault and battery and dehumanization of the Claimant by the 1st Defendant is wanton, sadistic, thuggish, brutish, immoral, disgraceful and is unbecoming of a public official.

3. A declaration that sexual advances or suggestions made to the claimant by the 1st Defendant including an invitation that the Claimant should see him at Hill Top Hotel (Guest House), Ugep to discuss an official matter concerning the withholding of the salary of the Claimant by the 2nd Defendant prompted the assault on the Claimant by the 1st Defendant and thereby amounts to discrimination against the Claimant on ground of gender; constitutes an infraction of the fundamental rights of the Claimant not to be discriminated against on grounds of gender as guaranteed by Section 42 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999.

4. A declaration that the withholding of the two months salary of the Claimant by the 2nd Defendant at the prompting or instigation or directive or order of the 1st Defendant because of the refusal of the Claimant to surrender or accept the amorous or immoral advances of the 1st Defendant is unbecoming, wanton, illegal and wrongful.

5. General/Exemplary Damages of N50 million for the violation of the fundamental rights of the Claimant and respect for the dignity of her person and freedom from discrimination on grounds of gender as secured and guaranteed by sections 34, Subsection 1(a) and 42 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 and assault and battery unleashed on the person of the Claimant by the 1st Defendant.

6. An order directing the 1st Defendant to render an unreserved apology in the form to be approved by the Counsel to the Claimant within 48 (forty-eight) hours of the delivery of judgment in this case.
However, the Chairman of Yakurr Local Government Council, Chief Ubi Itam Ettah in a telephone interview with crossriverwatch told us that “I have not been served with any court processes by my lawyers and since I haven’t been served I cannot say I know I have been sued for anything”.

When crossriverwatch asked whether he truly has a reputation for beating up people since he resumed office as claimed by Mrs. Okoi in her suit and if he was still feeling any remorse for his actions, the Chairman yelled “I don’t care!” and cut the call. All attempts to reach him back were rejected by the Chairman.

But Women Arise, a women’s right organization has told crossriverwatch that “a team will be dispatched to Ugep to ascertain the facts of the matter and we will stand by Mrs. Okoi and ensure that she not only gets justice from the court but will also ensure that the randy LG Chairman is punished for his escapades”.

President of Women Arise, Dr. Joe Okei Odumakin told crossriverwatch in a statement that “Women Arise condemns the act of harassment and assault on Mrs. Virginia Okoi by the Yakurr Local Government Chairman. That kind of practice is damaging and a violation of the fundamental rights of not only Mrs. Okoi but of all women in the country. Women Arise will not hesitate to stand by her in her court action. The Court should also take note that the entire country is watching to see what the decision of the court will be. We must make sure justice is done in this matter so that it will serve as deterrence to others who take pleasure in exploiting vulnerable women because they are in privileged positions”.

You may also read!

Women Should Fight For Not Against Selves – IPAC, GADA On Affirmative Action

By Godwin Otang As the struggle for 35 percent affirmative action for women continues, the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC)

Read More...

It Is Intentional… BY AGBA JALINGO

India is deliberately drawing global attention through tech. Indians are the CEOs of most multi-billion dollar Silicon Valley tech

Read More...

Planned State 14km Maiden Marathon Will Still Hold – Government Clarifies

By CrossRiverWatch Admin The Cross River State Government has re-echoed that the planned maiden State 14 km marathon bill

Read More...

14 commentsOn Sexual Assault: Teacher Sues Yakurr LG Chair for N50m

  • I have been offered an inretim payment following a car accident whereby the third party has accepted liability for my whiplash. The treatment given is yet to make a difference to my I injuries & the case is stilly settled. I am concerned that if I accept the inteim payment this will hinder the amount of my settlement figure? Please advise.Many Thanks

  • I loved what youve completed here. The design is elegant, your content classy. Yet, youve got an edginess to what youre providing here. Ill definitely come back for far more in the event you maintain this up. Dont lose hope if not too several people see your vision, know youve got a fan appropriate here who values what youve got to say as well as the way youve presented yourself. Very good on you!

  • I do not blame the chairman but ugep people who tend to think that yakurr lga is created for ugep town only. Development in the lga is only in ugep town. Other towns are not developing. An ugep man will never vote for any candidate for chairman who is from Ekori with a population as large as ugep itself. Other towns like mkpani, nko, assiga, agoi, idomi, Anong, inyima and Ekori beach are denied development. The so called chairman should be seriously disciplined. Henceforth, an aspirant to the chair of yakurr lga should be from somewhere else and not ugep town. They have fought war with almost every comunity around them and are not ready to be their brother,s keeper as the Ekori people do. Am ashamed of that chairman.

    • An interim panyemt can be made in a case for compensation which is very likely to succeed. An interim panyemt can be obtained with the agreement of the insurer of the Defendant, or by Order of the Court. It is a panyemt on account of the compensation due. The point of an interim panyemt is that the injured person is not left in financial difficulty by an accident and because of that financial difficulty feels pressure to accept a low offer. There is good reason to seek an interim panyemt if recovery is taking some time and you are down on your income or have incurred expenses. Interim panyemts are usually based on the financial losses caused by an accident, and the injury itself is usually ignored for this valuation.There should be no disadvantage in the final negotiation, and you have the advantage of not feeling under financial pressure.Beware that an interim panyemt has to be repaid if the final settlement or Court award is below the value of the interim panyemt. So there is a danger if your case is over valued and you cannot ultimately prove that value.One point often overlooked is that an interim panyemt my effect your entitlement to State benefits. You must check this carefully and please note you can legitimately overcome this issue by setting up a personal injury trust.

    • A little rationality lifts the qautily of the debate here. Thanks for contributing!

  • Recue Yakurr from the hands of bad politians with your report but I pray at the end they don’t buy you off as that has always been the case stand your ground with what you have started resist every finacial temptation and be the hero of the day at the end. Good JOB.

  • This so-called Chairman is a brute. His assault on this hapless woman is one too many. I have done close to six cases against this so-called Chairman concerning his predilection for violation of human rights of the underprivileged people. In one of such cases he instigated one of his henchmen, Ubana Martins (Observer), Supervisor Councillor in charhe of Security, Yakurr Local Government Council to use an axe to chopped off the hand of one Marshall Ofem. Today Marshall Ofem is defigured and an invalid.
    In yet another case, the Chairman instigated his gang of cultists to abduct one Augustine Omini Iwara and two Police Officers. They were forced into a hilux van and driven to the Chairman’s house in Emenko, Biko-Biok, Ugep were they were seriously manhandled and beaten up.before they were rescued by a team of police officers.
    THis is the kind of people you find at the Local Government level in the State parading themselves as Leaders! It is a sad commentary indeed. The man’s arrogance is scandalous!

  • YOU WILL GO PLACES KEEP THE FLAG JOURNALISM FLYING.

    • Dear John,The answer is no, and sinyag it is company policy is just an excuse.I am assuming you have a personal injury case, with an admission of liability or at least a good chance of success.Interim payments date back many years, and are designed to balance the financial inequality between a Claimant and the Defendant, and usually its insurance company. Some were content to leave a Claimant short in the hope they would accept a low offer for financial reasons.However, you can only insist on an interim payment by making, and succeeding, in an application to the Court within the personal injury action. If Court proceedings have not been commenced then a Defendant or their insurance company can refuse.Some Defendant insurers will ask why you need an interim payment. It was once the case that a Claimant had to show the reason for needing the payment, but today that is not necessary. So the answer to the insurer today is mind your own business. You do have to have a case which is going to win, and show the loss you will prove is greater than the interim payment you seek.

    • Dear Sirs,Having read this article I stnrogly agree with the thought that solicitors costs have become out of proportion with the damages awarded.I personally act for a small firm who see cases where the claimant has been awarded damages and the costs have been up to three times the level of those damages.This is a cost on all of us irrespective in which sector of business worked. It is about time that certain solicitors be stopped from racking up these costs sometimes even bullying claimants to keep the case going in order for the solicitors to make vast profits.

  • HDP ISNT SHOCKED OR SURPRISED AT THE HEINOUS IRRESPONSIBILITY AND BRAZEN IGNOMINIOUS ACT OF A CRIMINALLY-MINDED UNPOPULAR, NEVER ELECTED UNELECTABLE GANGSTER TAGGED YAKUUR LGA CHAIRMAN WHO IS A GREAT EMBARASSMENT TO POPULAR DEMOCRATIC ETHOS.WE MAKE BOLD TO SUBMIT THAT THIS OLD,UNREPENTANT CULTIST HAS NO QUALIFICATION FOR THE POST,THE ONE HE HAS IS BEING A NOTORIOUS GANGSTER,CULTIST AND GUN-RUNNER,A GOOD INSTRUMENT FOR ELECTION RIGGING AND VIOLENCE FOR THE RULING PARTY.IN A GOOD CLIME,THIS MAN WITH NO CREDIBLE EDUCATION IS ONLY FIT FOR A CORRECTION CENTRE.THIS SHAMELESS AND CRIMINAL CONDUCT BRINGS TO THE FORE THE QUALITY OF LEADERSHIP UNLEASHED ON THE PEOPLE TERMED LGC ADMINISTRATION IN CRS.ITS A TRAGEDY OF IMMENSE PROPORTIONS.HDP IS COMMITTED TO ENSURE JUSTICE IS DONE IN THE MATTER.

    • This is the type of case that proves my adisve to contact solicitors not accident management companies is correct( to stop them operating), I have no doubt that you are telling the truth but you will have to stand your ground in court. Talk to the solicitor provided and he may use an accident investigator to check out the case for him. if he can show that the claim is invalid or even fraudulent then it is a different ball game

  • That’s left for the court to decide. But it is obvious that the chairman is a bully and unbeffiting of occupying a public office. Then for Hon. Ewa, a federal lawmaker who we are told called meetings to give a criminal matter the usual PDP family-affairs solutions rather than encouraging the punishment of those who break laws that Hon. Eta and co. make is very unfortunate.

    All women organistaions and rights activists who know their worth should rally round Mrs Okoi and bring that randy Mayor to disrepute.

    Imagine the manner he answered the call from the journalist! Should that be the kind of leaders we get? Why was he going to beg. Salary or no salary, why did the Chairman have to lay his hands on a mother of three? He must be a beast. I dare say I feel sorry for his wife(s).

  • How true is it that the witholding of the woman’s salary was as a result of her turning down the chairman’s advances? Isn’t the woman saying that the man invited her to Hill Top hotel to discuss the problem, obviously in existence already???

Leave a reply:

Your email address will not be published.

Mobile Sliding Menu

Share this now