Court Awards N200 Million To 12-year-old Yobe Girl Electrocuted By MTN Cable (Photo)

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Court Awards N200 Million To 12-year-old Yobe Girl Electrocuted By MTN Cable (Photo)

A compensation of N200 million has been awarded to a 12-year-old girl, Hamsatu Abdullahi electrocuted by a cable belonging to telecommunication giant, MTN.

A high court in Damaturu, the Yobe state capital gave the ruling in which the Nigeria Electricity Liability Management Company (NELMCO) is a co-defendant in the suit.

The injuries Miss Abdullahi sustained in the incident led to amputation of both her hands and one of her legs.

Her father Abdullahi Koki sought redress from the house high court after her daughter’s electrocution at an MTN facility in front of the plaintiff’s house.

Mr Koki said he had complained about the citing of a mast in front of his house but was ignored. The incident occurred in 2012 at Chumbusko Village in Karasuwa local government area of Yobe state.

The judge, Lawu Lawan, awarded the N200 million damages jointly and against MTN Nigeria Ltd and Nigeria Electricity Liability Management in favour of Hamsatu.

The judgement read in part:

“I hold that the plaintiff has duly established by oral and documentary credible and unchallenged evidence against the defendants. I equally hold that the plaintiff is entitled to claims from the defendants jointly and severally as compensating or general damages for the permanent disablement via the loss of her two hands, right leg, continuous pains medical treatment, anguish, shock and continuous psychological trauma and loss of amenities of life caused by the defendants’ act and omissions.

“Therefore, the sum of two hundred million naira (N200,000,000.00) is hereby awarded against the defendants jointly and severally in favour of the plaintiff. The particular of heads of the damages is as follows:

1. Loss of earnings, pains and suffering – N10,000,000.00

2. Loss of capacity for enjoyment of life – N10,000,000.00

3. Shortening of expectation of life – 10,000,000.00

4. Cost of keeping a servant to assist the plaintiff – N10,000,000.00

5. General damages – N150,000,000.00

6. Cost of action – N10,000,000.00”, Justice Lawan said.