Lebanese boss, Kaveh Noine, of causing her to lose her
seven-month-pregnancy after he kicked her in the stomach.
Currently at a private hospital in the Fagba area of Lagos
State, Ossai had to have an emergency surgery four days after
the kick to save her life as the kick damaged her placenta.
According to Punch, Ossai, who until December 13, 2013,
was a supervisor with a Lebanese owned firm, Toppan
Printing Company, alleged that Noine assaulted her many
times during her eight months stay at the company.
She said: "I started working at Toppan in April. I earn N17,000 salary and work from Monday to Saturday.
Anytime Noine was annoyed, he would beat the person he
was angry with. Sometimes, he would throw whatever he can
lay his hands on at the person.
Prior to that incident, Noine had slapped me many times.
Noine had said he would hold me responsible for the shortcomings of the people I supervised.
As a result, I often assisted my subordinates in their duties to
make sure that Noine had nothing to complain about."
However, Ossai said on December 12 2013, Noine had flown
into a rage when he noticed something on the floor in her
section. "It was a container for a drug. That is what we do; we
produce packets for drugs and perfumes. So when Noine saw one of such packets on the floor, he was so angry that he gave me a blow to the chest," she recalled.
She said Noine subsequently went into his office and typed a
termination letter for Ossai, which she refused to sign.
Her refusal allegedly enraged him further and after verbally
abusing her, he was said to have told her that it was her last
warning. The following day, Ossai ran into Noine while
coming from his secretary's office. Noine allegedly dragged
Ossai back to the office and called her a wicked woman.
Ossai said:
"He said I looked like a mad person. After abusing me, he hit
me on my neck twice. Then, without warning, he kicked my
stomach with his knee. Some co-workers were there but they
did not intervene. I felt a sharp pain in my stomach." The
mother of one, whose younger brother and sister also worked
in the same company, said she prevailed on her siblings not to attack Noine when they heard the news.
I never for once told my husband what I was going through at
work. I didn't want him to come and fight Noine. I pleaded
with my siblings not to fight," Ossai said. Although the pains
eventually subsided after two days, it was learnt that in the
early hours of Monday, Decemeber 16, 2013, Ossai began to bleed.
She was rushed to a private clinic at Fagba. She was told that
her placenta had been damaged as a result of the kick and that
she had to undergo emergency surgery to save her life.
She said: "I didn't know that my baby had died until two days
after the surgery. I was told my baby lost his face too due to
the kick." She said a report was made at the Area F police
command the following day by her aunt, Mrs. Olabisi
Jaiyeoba.
Jaiyeoba said: When Ossai's husband and I were refused entry
into the company, we went to report to the police. They
accompanied us there and even had to force their way in.
The administrative manager lied that Noine had travelled out
of the country. But as of that Tuesday, he was still in the
country. It was later that we learned that he travelled last
Friday."
Efforts to get a response from the Deputy Manager of Toppan
printing Company, Mr. Abass Al-Souki, proved abortive as
his phone number indicated that it was unreachable.
However, the admin manager, who declined to identify
herself, told PUNCH Metro that the factory was closed for the
Christmas holidays. She said: We closed for the holidays last
Friday and would reopen on January 8 2013. I would not like
to speak on that matter because it is already with the police.
Also our company lawyer is on it. You can only get across to
our management in January 2014." Legal counsel for Toppan,
Mrs. Nnebe, said that she could not comment on the matter.
She said: "It would be best if you wait for the police to conclude their investigation. Ossai has only made an allegation. Let the police finish their investigation and then
we would give our response.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ngozi
Braide, said: "The incident which occurred on Thursday
was not reported to the police until Tuesday. It took about five days before it was reported. So when the police arrived at the suspect's workplace, they were informed that he had travelled. It took a long time for the complainant to report the matter. But we are investigating."
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