[News] Alleged molestation: Court dismisses workers suit against former Minister of State for Education, Kenneth Gbagi

A High Court sitting in Effurun, Delta State, has dismissed a suit seeking the enforcement of fundamen­tal rights filed by Okiemute Diaghwarhe against Oloro­gun Kenneth Gbagi, a 2023 governorship hopeful.

Diaghwarhe had dragged the former Minister to court for allegedly stripping her and three of his staff naked for allegedly steal­ing a sum of N 5,000 from his hotel where they worked.

While delivering his judgment, Justice Em­manuel Z. Dolor said that the suit with Reg. No. EHC/ FHR/79/2020, lacked merit, and could not hold water. Justice Dolor revealed that the legal battle started on October 5 2020 as an orig­inating motion on notice.

The Judge said that what must be appreciated by all and sundry, “is that the spir­it and driving principles of the fundamental rights en­forcement regime in Nige­ria, maybe liberal but they are by so means laissez-faire or wishy-washy, for were they so, constitutional liberties themselves would be imperiled and could not be guaranteed in the long run”.

He stated that as it fre­quently happens in the build-up to human rights cases, the applicant suc­cumbed to the temptation to be dramatic and sensa­tional, adding that it would appear that the applicant was in so much hurry to go to court that she failed to watch her back or do her homework well.

”For N3bn suit, the applicant did too little and should have been more painstaking, clinical and intentional in her approach to the case; after all, time does not really run against an intending applicant in fundamental rights actions.

In the light of the foregoing, the substantive issue for determination which I set out to resolve at the outset of this judgment shall be resolved against the applicant, and it is hereby so resolved, because I specifically find out that none of the applicant’s fundamental rights has been, is being or is likely to be infringed upon by any of the respondents, and I so hold.

The application filed by the applicant for the enforcement of her fundamental rights is hereby dismissed for lack of merit” he said