Proprietress of Cendom International Nursery and Primary School, Olodi-Apapa, Uche Owen, will pay N25 million as damages to a five-year-old pupil of the school, Destiny Kalu, who became blind after being flogged for owing school fee, court ruled on Wednesday.
Justice Yetunde Idowu of Lagos State High Court in Ikeja ruled that Owen and the child’s class teacher, Uduak Sam, were liable for the permanent injury sustained by the pupil.
The child’s father, Inyima Kalu, had in 2013 sued Owen and Sam. Destiny said that Owen, on June 20, 2011, entered his classroom and flogged all the pupils who had not paid school fees.
The child said his right eye was hit while being flogged and he was left in tears for several hours unattended to.
Destiny was later taken to Ajeromi General Hospital, Lagos, where he was treated and later referred to Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi Araba.
A surgery was conducted on the child at LUTH but doctor’s report showed that the eye had been permanently damaged, prompting the father to sue for N30 million as compensation.
Uduak told the police that she flogged the pupil on the instructions of the proprietress, but Owen refused to take responsibility for the damage.
