Court removes First Atlantic Bank from sexual harassment case and awards GH¢6000 in costs to Adablah

High Court Awards Costs Against Former Bank Employee in Sexual Harassment Case

In a recent development, the High Court in Accra has ruled in favor of First Atlantic Bank and awarded costs of GH¢6,000 against Deborah Seyram Adablah, a former National Service personnel of the bank, who had filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against the bank’s former Chief Finance Officer.

First Atlantic Bank’s lawyers had previously filed a motion seeking the removal of the bank’s name from the case. In the ruling on Friday, July 21, Justice Olivia Obeng Owusu granted the bank’s request and further imposed the cost of GH¢6,000 against Deborah Seyram Adablah.

During the proceedings, First Atlantic Bank’s legal team had requested the court to award damages amounting to GH¢50,000. However, the plaintiff’s counsel pleaded with the court to reduce the amount to GH¢5,000.

While the court has addressed the issue of costs, the substantive case of sexual harassment is yet to be heard, as it has been put on hold due to a number of interim applications.

Among the interim applications, Deborah Seyram Adablah’s legal team has filed a motion asking the court to set aside an earlier order that required her to hand over a Honda Civic vehicle to the court’s registry.

On the other hand, the former Chief Finance Officer, Ernest Kwasi Nimako, has also filed an interim application seeking to have the former service personnel held in contempt and possibly committed to prison.

Background of the Case

The sexual harassment lawsuit was filed by Deborah Seyram Adablah on Monday, January 23, 2023. She alleges that Ernest Kwasi Nimako, whom she refers to as her “sugar daddy,” made several promises to her. These promises included buying her the car, providing accommodation for three years, giving her a monthly stipend of GH¢3,000, marrying her after divorcing his wife, and offering a lump sum to start a business.

According to the plaintiff, although the car was initially registered in Nimako’s name, he later took it back, depriving her of its use after just a year. Additionally, she claims that Nimako only paid for one year of accommodation despite promising to cover three years.

In her legal action, Deborah Seyram Adablah is seeking a court order directing the “sugar daddy” to transfer the car’s title into her name and return the car to her. She also requests the court to order Nimako to pay her the lump sum to start a business, as agreed between the parties. Moreover, she seeks the outstanding two years’ accommodation payment, which was part of the alleged agreement.

SOURCE: Coverghana.com