Hon. Justice (Prof.) Elizabeth Oji of the Lagos Judicial Division of the National Industrial Court has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to immediately return Mojisola’s International Passport seized from her while investigating the case reported to it by the Access Bank.
The Court dismissed Mojisola’s allegation of wrongful employment termination and N10m damages claim against Access Bank for lacking merit.
From facts, the claimant- Mojisola had submitted that Access Bank placed her on suspension for alleged negligence and she was taken before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for investigation and prosecution; while the investigation was ongoing, the Bank completed the process started by the suspension letter and terminated her appointment.
She averred that the procedure adopted in suspending her for a disclosed reason leading to the termination of her employment without justifying the alleged reason and without following the procedure set out in the Bank Staff Handbook is wrong.
In defence, the 1st Defendant- Access Bank pleaded that Mojisola failed to comply with the established banking procedure and her employment was terminated after due process had been complied with and was paid 3 months’ salary in lieu instead of a month’s salary she was ordinarily entitled to and that the Bank is not liable to the claim against it.
The bank argued that by the staff handbook, Mojisola ought to be dismissed but was magnanimous by merely terminating her employment and still paid her 3 months’ salary in lieu of notice instead of just a month’s salary.
In opposition, Mojisola’s counsel averred that by the modern approach of the Court, although his client was paid 3 months’ salary in lieu of notice, she has not till date been allowed access to her salary account domiciled with the Bank.
Counsel prayed the Court to restore Mojisola to her legitimately deserved position in the Banking industry and in alternative grant compensation akin to aggravated damages to give his client an ease of life.
