Court Jails CMD For Contempt
For disobeying the order of the court to pay the salaries of the resident doctors of the hospital, an Industrial Court sitting in Akure, on Monday sentenced the Chief Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, Dr. Liasu Ahmed to one month imprisonment.
The medical director was dragged before the court by the Association of Residents Doctors, FMC Owo chapter, over his alleged refusal to pay their two months salaries (October and November 2016).
The Court later ordered Ahmed to pay one of the two months salaries but the embattled CMD ignored the court order.
According to the investigation, Ahmed refused to pay the doctors following an order of no-work-no-pay which he effected on the doctors.
While ruling on the matter, Justice Oyejoju Oyewumi, however ordered Ahmed to immediately pay the doctors on or before 5pm on Monday.
According to the Court, if the CMD fails to do so before the given time, he should go to jail for one month.
In his reaction, one of the counsel of the claimants, Mr. Kehinde Ojo, said the court ruled against the first defendant CMD because he failed to comply with the court order.
Ojo said Ahmed failed to convince the court as to why he did not comply with the previous order of the court on the payment.
His words, “ The counsel from the Federal Ministry of Health are representing him. They pleaded with the court, saying he (Ahmed) could pay before the end of the day (Monday). The court will be waiting till around 5pm but if he doesn’t pay, he will be sent to prison.
Fakorede said, “We have nothing against him personally. We have given many opportunities to settle out of court but our boss was not ready to comply. Since the court has given its verdict now, there is nothing anybody can do about it”.
