The National Industrial Court in Ibadan has ruled against Nestlé Nigeria PLC, ordering the company to pay N10 million as compensation to an ex-employee, Ilesanmi Temokun, for negligence that resulted in a workplace injury.
Mr. Temokun sustained severe injuries when an iron locker fell on him on 4 September 2021, while he was at work.
Represented by his lawyer, Tope Temokun, he filed a suit claiming that the company failed to maintain a safe working environment, which led to the incident.
Despite Nestlé’s legal representative arguing for the case’s dismissal, the judge determined that the company did not fulfil its responsibility to ensure the safety of its employees.
The court highlighted that the locker, if properly secured, would not have fallen and caused harm.
The injury resulted in Mr. Temokun being diagnosed with spinal shock, affecting his ability to perform physically demanding tasks.
The court awarded an additional N500,000 for litigation costs, with the judgement accruing 20 per cent interest annually until Nestlé settles the amount in full.
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