Court refuses NBET’s application for stay of proceedings in whistleblower’s case 

The National Industrial Court has again refused an application by the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET) for a stay of proceedings in a motion brought against it by Sambo Abdullahi, a whistleblower.

As the head of the internal audit at NBET, Abdullahi had queried alleged fraudulent acts by Marilyn Amobi, managing director of NBET.

He had exposed alleged fraudulent transactions at NBET and he was redeployed to another department while his salaries were reportedly withheld from December 2017.

Abdullahi had approached the industrial court seeking redress over his alleged intimidation.

Kiyersohot Damulak, the judge who presided over the case, ordered the maintenance of a status quo by both parties until the determination of the case.

Dissatisfied with the court’s order, the management of NBET had asked the appeal court to set aside the decision of the lower court.

At the last adjourned date, Olayinka Arase, NBET counsel, secured an adjournment to enable him file an application for a stay of proceedings pending the decision of the court of appeal.

The NBET counsel also prayed that the trial judge recuse himself from the case.

However, a few days before the resumption of the case, Damulak, the judge, was transferred out of the Abuja division of the NIC.

The application had not been heard at the time and no reason was given for the transfer.

At the resumed hearing of the case on Friday, Oyejoju Oyewunmi, the new judge who took over the case, insisted that the suit could not “lie fallow” while the appeal court was busy with some other dealings.

The case was adjourned till October 31 and November 1 for hearing.