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By Lukman Olabiyi
Justice Weli Chechey of the Rivers State High Court, Port Harcourt, has fixed February 7 and 8, 2022, for continuation of hearing of a N50 billion suit filed by Emeka Okoli and wife, Stella, against their employer, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC).
The suit was filed by the couple and their son, Chinazam, who allegedly suffered brain damage after a surgery performed by doctors in Shell Hospital, Port Harcourt.
Chinazam, Emeka and Stella are first, second and third claimants, respectively.
Sued along with Shell, as second and third defendants, are two of its doctors, Dr. Alexander Dimoko and Dr. Dafe Akpoduado, who allegedly performed an appendectomy surgery on the Okoli’s son, Chinazam, sometime in September, 2016.
During the pre-trial conference, Stella Emeka-Okoli, the traumatised mother of Chinazam, was in court.
Counsel to claimants, Prof. Akin Ibidapo-Obe, narrated to court how Chinazam, the only son of the couple, suffered brain damage, remained incapacitated and confined to a wheelchair, following alleged negligent surgical procedure by the Shell hospital.
Ibidapo-Obe gave a brief account following enquiry by the trial judge, Justice Chechey, who informed parties that the writ of summons and other documents for the case were not physically available because of the e-filing of processes in the state and demanded the basis for the matter.
Ibidapo-Obe, who immediately gave the judge copies of case papers, also told the court that the lawyers to the defendants had filed preliminary objections, relying on some technicalities to stop the suit. He said he was ready to reply to the technicalities raised by the legal team of Shell led by Michael Amadi. He, therefore, requested a date to enable the judge to get all documents for the matter.
Justice Chechey adjourned the matter to February 7 and 8 to hear arguments on preliminary objections.
