A branch manager of Stanbic IBTC Plc, Mrs Tomi Offor, has been dragged before an Igbosere Chief Magistrate’s Court, the Lagos State, for allegedly giving false information to the police, which culminated in the false imprisonment of the bank’s customer.
Mrs Offor who is the branch manager of the bank at Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, was dragged before the court by an automobile expert, Mr. Ogunmuyiwa Sanni through his counsel, Gideon Okebu of GM George-Taylor & Co.
Joined as Offor co-defendants in the suit marked MCL/345/2020, are: Stanbic IBTC Bank, a police officer, Mr. Winko Festus and one other.
Sanni in his statement of claims filed before the court narrated how he was engaged by the bank manager, Mrs. Offor in January, 2019, to repair her car but she breached their agreement between them, by failing to pay him the charges for services.
Sanni averred that in his attempt to collect money for the service rendered to the defendant (Offor) he was arrested at the bank premises on the instruction of the bank manager, who accused him of kidnapping and threat to life.
Consequently, Sanni prays the court for an order that the refusal of the defendants to pay him for the repairs effected on the bank manager’s car, despite several demands, constituted a breach of contract.
He also asked the court for an order that Offor, the bank and Festus are jointly and severally liable for false imprisonment, to wit; making a spurious and false complaint to the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) which culminated in the restrain of Sanni at bank’s premises in Awolowo Road, Ikoyi for hours before being further detained at NPF Headquarters, Kam-Salem, Obalende.
The claimant also asked tge court for an order directing all the defendants to pay him the sum of N 2.5 million for the wrongful/false imprisonment of the claimant, upon a fabricated complaint. And an order directing them to publish formal letters of apology in two national newspapers and an order directing the Defendants to pay the cost of the suit.
In responding to Sanni’s suit, Stanbic IBTC exonerated itself of any wrongdoings, stating that the case is between its official and the claimant. While Offor denied all the claimant’s averments.
The case has been fixed for hearing on March 24, 2020.
