By Jonathan Ugbal
Mr. Bright Irek, a former driver with a ride-hailing application, Bolt in Calabar has said that his diligence in keeping to agreements and being truthful is what saw him through and led to Justice Idem Ita Koofreh of the High Court of Cross River State on Tuesday awarding a total cost of over 900 thousand Naira in favor of him in Suit number HC/92/2022.
Mr. Irek, who is popularly known as “Celebrity Bolt Driver” told CrossRiverWatch that from the first week of December 2021 when his Toyota Camry Sport was confiscated by a friend who had helped him purchase the vehicle until now, staying truthful in his dealings kept him afloat.
“It has not been an easy one for me at all, especially with the fact that my mother was sick and I spent twenty-two thousand Naira on her drugs per month coupled with the fact she had to even come down to Calabar once a month,” Irek, a native of Oghurude in Obubra Local Government Area said.
“At some point, I even had rent challenges. But, because I learned large format printing and I got jobs from friends as well as the fleet business where I connect car owners to riders and clients, I was able to survive but it was not easy,” he added.
Ride-Hailing And A Hunted Ride
Mr. Irek and the defendant in the suit, Raphael Ewah, were friends with Mr. Ewah giving his Toyota Camry to him for use in the ride-hailing business while he was out of Calabar, the Cross River State.
“When he returned, he was impressed with the way I took care of the car and that he will help me get another and then I pay him back,” Irek said. He eventually reached out to his Uncle who agreed to sell the vehicle in contention (Toyota Corolla) for Three million Naira. Mr. Ewah paid Two and a half million on the 12th of July 2021 with the promise of paying the balance of Five hundred thousand Naira on December 21, 2022.
Mr. Irek then entered a hire purchase agreement with Mr. Ewah in which he kept paying 31,500 Naira per week which was billed to run for three years until the sum of Four million and Six hundred thousand Naira was paid to Mr. Ewah which he kept doing until the first week of December when Mr. Ewah collected the car and said he wanted to sell it off and raise money to pay the balance. Instead, Irek said Mr. Ewah changed the vehicle color from red to white and was using it as his private vehicle while Mr. Irek’s uncle kept asking for the balance.
Before the car was confiscated, Mr. Irek said he had planned to obtain a loan facility from a bank to pay off his Uncle who felt he had played a fast one on him.
However, Mr. Ewah sold his old car (Toyota Camry) instead and paid Four hundred thousand to Mr. Irek’s uncle two days after the due date on December 23, 2021. This left a balance of One hundred thousand Naira, thereby forcing Mr. Irek’s father to pay another Eighty thousand Naira with the balance of Twenty thousand Naira written off.
“He called me and said he wanted to use the car which I obliged as a friend. But, when I called the next morning asking him for the car so that I could work, he kept telling me stories and the car has been with him ever since. I informed Baba Isa Esq. who was unhappy with the entire matter and by February 2022, filed an originating summons after I supplied him with all the transaction details and documents,” Irek said.
The Judgment
Justice Koofreh ordered that the sum of Four hundred and Seven thousand Naira be paid by the defendants to Mr. Irek who is the plaintiff.
Justice Koofreh held that the confiscation of the vehicle when the hire purchase agreement was still pending was wrong and illegal as the plaintiff had not breached the agreement since he was still paying the weekly sum to the defendant until the car was taken.
The Court also ordered that the sum of Five hundred thousand Naira be paid as damages to the plaintiff for damages.
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