hon. justice t. a. kume-judge 08069263555

8/10/2019 HON. JUSTICE T. A. KUME-JUDGE 08069263555

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE OF BENUE STATE OF

NIGERIA IN THE BENUE STATE JUDICIAL DIVISION

HOLDEN AT KATSINA ALA

BEFORE HIS LORDSHIP:HON. JUSTICE T.A. KUME - JUDGE

BETWEEN:

AONDONA CHIA

(Suing for himself and on ehalf of !he

Pa Chia Aur famil"#De$enden!s of

La!e A%$en&uan Chia'

AND

) PO*ER HOLDIN+ CO,PAN- OFNI+ERIA (PHCN' PLC

.) /OS ELEC0RICI0- DIS0RIB10ION

CO,PAN- PLC)

JUDGEMENT

0he $lain!i23 in $aragra$h 45 of his s!a!emen! of 6laim3 has

sough! agains! !he defendan!s3 !he reliefs 6ou6hed in !he

follo&ing &ords:

40. WHEREOF the plaintif claims rom the 1st and 2nd

Deendants on behal o the dependants o the late

Akpenwuan Chia both jointly andse!erally as ollows"a# $he sum o %ne &illion 'aira ('1)000)000)000*00# only as

+eneral dama+es or ne+li+ence*b# ,ost -ud+ment interest o 10. monthly until the -ud+ment

sum is li/uidated*


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0he $lain!i2 !es!i7ed as P& and his &i!nesses !es!i7ed as

P&.3 P&8 and P&4) E9hii!s 3 . and 8 &ere !endered and

admi!!ed in eiden6e) 0he Plain!i2 7led a re$l" !o !he defendan!s

/oin! S!a!emen! of Defense)

0he eiden6e of !he $lain!i2 is !o !he e2e6! !ha! he is a"ounger ro!her of one A%$en&uan Chia3 &ho &as ele6!ro6u!ed "

!he high !ension 6ale of !he Defendan!s &hile re!urning !o his

6om$ound around ;).5$m on ;#.#.58 from !he 6om$ound of


3/9

Chia has een re$aired on !he >#.#.58 af!er !he dea!h of !he said

A%$en&uan Chia) 0he /oin! S!a!emen! of Defense3 ho&eer3

denies in ma!erial $ar!i6ular all !he aermen!s of !he Plain!i2 in

res$e6! of negligen6e on !he $ar! of !he Defendan!s regarding !he

main!enan6e of !he high !ension 6ales) 0he" 6alled &i!nesses&ho !es!i7ed as D& and D&.) 0he" !endered and e9hii!s D

and D. &ere admi!!ed in eiden6e)

A! !he 6on6lusion of !he eiden6e of !he $ar!ies) Learned

6ounsel on !heir ehalf 7led &ri!!en addresses) Learned 6ounsel

for !he Defendan!s3 ,r) Luga formula!ed !&o (.' issues as arising

for de!ermina!ion in !he sui!) 0he said issues read !hus:

i* whether or not the ,laintif has established a case o

ne+li+ence a+ainst the deendants*

ii) &he!her or no! !he Plain!i2 is en!i!led !o !he reliefs

6laimed herein)?

Learned Counsel for !he Plain!i23 ,r) I"oie has formula!ed a

single issue for de!ermina!ion) 0he said issue read !hus:

*01 the sole issue or determination in this case is"

whether or not the ,laintif has established a case o

'e+li+ence a+ainst the Deendants*Issue in !he Defendan!s@ &ri!!en address is similar !o issue

in !he Plain!i2s@ &ri!!en address) A de!ermina!ion of !he said

issue &ould ne6essaril" inole a 6onseuen!ial order of &he!her

!he Plain!i2 has $roed his 6ase !o e en!i!led !o =udgmen! or

&he!her !he Defendan!s hae $roed !heir defense for an order of

dismissal of !he 6ase of !he Plain!i2)

A66ordingl"3 issue of !he Defendan!s &ri!!en address &ould

e ado$!ed in !he resolu!ion of !he 6laims of !he Plain!i2 in !hissui!)

B" a 6lear reading of !he $leading of !he $ar!ies3 and !he

eiden6e in !his sui!3 i! is no! dis$u!ed !ha! !he Plain!i23 along &i!h

P&. and P&8 and P&4 are de$endan!s of La!e A%$en&uan Chia) I!

is also no! in dou! !ha! La!e A%$e&uan Chia died " ele6!ro6u!ion


4/9

&hen he &al%ed his ne6% and od" in!o !he 6ale of !he

Defendan!s) I! is euall" a no!orious fa6! !ha! high !ension 6ales

are 79ed aou! 85 fee! from !he foo! of !he $ole 6one"ing !hem)

In E9hii! 83 es$e6iall"3 !he nega!ie and !he $ho!ogra$h $rin!ed

from !he nega!ie3 !he 6ale on &hi6h !he lifeless od" ofA%$e&uan Chia hangs on is no! aou! 85 feed from !he foo! of !he

$ole 6one"ing !he 6ale) 1ndis$u!ed also is !he fa6! !ha! nood"

&as $resen! &hen La!e A%$en&uan Chia &as ele6!ro6u!ed " !he

6ale of !he Defendan!s) I 7nd !hese $ie6es of eiden6e

un6hallenged and !herefore $roed)

*ha! is in dis$u!e is &he!her !he Defendan!s &ere negligen!

in !he main!enan6e of !heir high !ension $oles and 6ales)

0he Plain!i2 !es!i7ed !ha! !he $oles and 6ale are oer 85"ears old su6h !ha! !he &oods holding !he 6ales hae gone ad

and hae een falling !o !he ground &i!h oral re$or!s of !he said

in6iden!s made !o !he Defendan!s)

0he Defendan!s denied !he asser!ion of !he Plain!i2 and

6on!ends !ha! rou!ine &or% is done " !hem on !heir ins!alla!ion

and !ha! a! no !ime did !he Plain!i2 or an" memer of !he

Plain!i2@s famil" lodge an" re$or! of !he la6% of main!enan6e of

!heir ins!alla!ions !o !hem)0he Plain!i2 has no! sho&n !o !his 6our! &hen oral re$or! of

!he faul! no!i6ed " him or an" memer of his famil" on !he

ins!alla!ions of !he Defendan!s in his or !heir i6ini!" &ere made) I

!herefore do no! eliee !he Plain!i2 !ha! re$or!s of !he faul! of

ins!alla!ion of !he Defendan!s &ere made efore dea!h of !heir

read&inner3 A%$en&uan Chia)

0he Plain!i2 in $aragra$h .8 of !he S!a!emen! of Claim

$leaded Res I$sa Loui!ur)0he Defendan!s in $aragra$hs and of !heir /oin!

S!a!emen! of Defense denied !he $leas of Res I$sa Loui!ur and in

$aragra$h ; of !he said /oin! S!a!emen! of Defense aers as

follo&s:


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;) $he Deendants shall contend at the trial that the

broken wooden cross arm and the suspension o one o

the k! i+h $ension lines mid3air at the scene o the

alle+ed electrocution could result rom acts o

!andaliation or attempted !andaliation*Res I$sa Loui!ur sim$l" means3 !he !hing s$ea%s for i!self?)

See IBEAND1

S IE (>>8' N)*)L)R (P! .>>' .; a! .> 6i!ed " learned

6ounsel for !he Plain!i2 in his &ri!!en address) See also

$aragra$hs >G > $age G> OF CLER AND LINDSELL ON

0OR0S 4 Edi!ion3 S&ee! and ,a9&ell >G)

In !his sui!3 and as earlier found " me3 !he dea!h of

A%$en&uan Chia s$ea%s for i!self)

0he Plain!i23 as righ!l" sumi!!ed " learned 6ounsel for !he

Defendan!s in his &ri!!en address ears !he urden !o $roe

negligen6e agains! !he Defendan!s !o e en!i!led !o =udgmen!)

See FBN S) ASSOCIA0ED ,O0ORS CO) L0D (>>;' 5 N)*)L)R)(P0

G5' 443 A)+) LEEN0IS (NI+' PLC S AP1 (.55' N)*)L)R

(P0) 58' 4 a! 4.5) See also SBN S ,O0OR PAR0S

INS0ALLA0ION L0D (.55G' ALL F)*)L)R) (P0 .5' 58 A0 5G 6i!ed

" learned 6ounsel for !he Plain!i2 in his &ri!!en address)

*here3 ho&eer3 as in !he ins!an! sui!3 !he $leas of res I$sa

Logui!ur is $leaded3 !he Defendan!s ears !he urden !o 6all

reu!!al eiden6e in order !o nega!ie !he o$era!ion of !he $lea of

res i$sa loui!ur) See IBEAND1 S IE (Su$ra' a! .>> 855) See

also $aras >G > CLER AND LINDSELL ON 0OR0S (Su$ra')

0he Defendan!s3 in !he 6ir6ums!an6es3 ears !he urden !o

dis$roe !he 6laims of !he Plain!i2)

0he Defendan!s in E9hii! D and D. hae sho&n !ha! !heir

ins!alla!ion &as re$aired on >#.#.58 af!er a re$or! of !he

ele6!ro6u!ion of A%$en&uan Chia &as made !o !hem)

0he Defendan!s3 i! should e no!ed did no! &i!ness an"

andalia!ion or a!!em$! !o andalie !heir ins!alla!ion " La!e


6/9

A%$en&uan Chia leading !o his dea!h) 0he Defendan!s did no!

!herefore $roe !ha! i! &as a6! of adalia!ion " La!e A%$e&uan

Chia of !he ins!alla!ion 6aused !heir 6ale !o ri$ o2 from !he

$osi!ion &here i! is normall" 79ed on !heir $oles) Con!riu!or"

negligen6e on !he $ar! of A%$en&uan Chia is no! es!alished "!he Defendan!s3 and I here" so hold)

D. under 6rossJe9amina!ion !es!i7ed3 in!er alia as follo&s:

5555**67hibit does not deal with maintenance* 8e do

not ha!e any document that deals with maintenance* 8e

ha!e no e!idence to pro!e that maintenance has been

carried out on the hi+h tension pole which has been in use

or well o!er 0 years5555**

0he ues!ion in eer" 6ase3 &here !he $lea of res i$sa

loui!ur is raised is3 &ha! is !he reasonale inferen6e !o e dra&n

from %no&n fa6!s) See $ara >4 $age G>4 of CLER AND

LINDSELL ON 0OR0S (Su$ra') See also IEN0A S A)+) RIERS

S0A0E (.55;' . S)C)N)/) G. a! . &here a$$ears !hese

&ords:

A jud+e) by the nature o his adjudicatory unctions) can

draw inerence rom stated acts in a case and by suchinerences) the jud+e can arri!e at conclusions* 9t will be

wron+ to say that inerence le+itimately drawn rom acts in

the case is introduced suo motu

In !he ins!an! 6ase3 i! is manifes!l" 6lear as earlier found "

!his 6our! !ha! A%$en&uan Chie died " ele6!ro6u!ion from !he

6ale under !he 6are3 manage and 6on!rol " !he Defendan!s) 0he

Plain!i2 did no! &i!ness !he ele6!ro6u!ion of A%$en&uan Chia)

High !ension 6ales are normall" high u$ and a&a" from !he rea6hof humans in !he ordinar" 6ourse of human 6ondu6!) 0he 6ale

!ha! ele6!ro6u!ed A%$en&uan &as no! in !he normal $la6e &here

su6h 6ales are 79ed " !he Defendan!s) 0he dea!h of A%$en&uan

Chia &ould no! hae ha$$ened had !he 6ale een a! !he $la6e

&here i! normall" &ould hae een) See B1CLAND S)

+1ILFORD +AD LI+H0 AND COE CO) (>4>' )B) 45 &hi6h is


7/9

6on!ained in $ara G8G3 $age ;;> of CLER AND LINDSELL ON

0OR0S) 0herein3 i! is s!a!ed !hus: &here an ele6!ri6i!"

under!a%ing ere6!ed &ires 6arr"ing ele6!ri6i!" of high ol!age

a6ross a 7eld =us! oer !he !o$ of a !ree &hi6h &as easil"

6limale3 !he" &ere held liale for !he dea!h of a girl of 8 &ho6limed !he !ree &hen i! &as in full leas so !ha! !he &ires &ere

os6ured and 6ame in 6on!a6! &i!h !he &ires)?

0he fa6!s in !he 6ase of B1CLAND S +1ILFORD +AS LI+H0

AND COE CO) (Su$ra' are o$$osi!e !o !he fa6!s and

6ir6ums!an6es of !his 6ase) A66ordingl"3 I ado$! !he reasoning and

6on6lusion in !he said 6ase !o !he fa6!s herein) Conseuen!l"3 I

here" hold !ha! !he Defendan!s &ere negligen! in main!aining

!heir ins!alla!ions leading !o !he ele6!ro6u!ion of A%$en&uan Chia)

Learned 6ounsel for !he Plain!i2 in his &ri!!en address has

ho&eer3 sumi!!ed !ha! !here are ma!erial 6on!radi6!ions in !he

eiden6e of !he Plain!i2 as !o &hen A%$en&uan Chia died and for

his age !here" sho&ing la6% of $roof of his 6laim3 and !ha! !he

Plain!i2 has no! $roed loss as !o e en!i!led !o damages) Learned

6ounsel for !he Plain!i2 !herefore urged on !he 6our! !o dismiss

!he 6ase as la6%ing in $roof)

I! is im$or!an! !o no!e !ha! !he ma!erial in dis$u!e e!&een!he $ar!ies in !his sui! is no! !he da!e of !he ele6!ro6u!ion of

A%$en&aun Chia " !he 6ale of !he Defendan!s or een his age)

0he lie issue in dis$u!e is &he!her A%$en&ua Chia &ould hae

een ele6!ro6u!ed had !he 6ales of !he Defendan!s een a! !he

heigh! !he" &ere normall" $osi!ioned on $oles 6one"ing !hem)

A66ordingl"3 !he 6onKi6! in !he da!e of !he dea!h of

A%$en&uan Chia and of his age are minor and !riial issues

unrela!ed !o !he lie issue in dis$u!e3 and I here" so hold) See

OSE0OLA S) S0A0E (.5.' ) S)C)N)/ (P! ' 8.> a! 8G &here

a$$ears !hese &ords:

9t is basic that contradiction in the e!idence 55 that will

be atal must be substantial* :uch must deal with the real

substance o the case* ;inor contradictions which did not

afect the credibility o witnesses may not be atal* $ri!ial


8/9

contradictions like those raked up by the appellants should

not !itiate the trial*

Conseuen!l"3 I here" hold !ha! !he Defendan!s hae failed

!o $roe an" defense !o !he 6laims of !he Plain!i2) 0he Plain!i23 I

hold has $roed his 6ase) 0he Defendan!s are !herefore liale for!he dea!h of A%$en&uan Chia) 0he sumissions of learned 6ounsel

!o !he Defendan!s !o !he 6on!rar" in his &ri!!en address are

here" dismisses)

In $aragra$hs .G3 .3 .3 .;3 .>3 85 and 8 of !he

S!a!emen! of Claim3 !he Plain!i2 $leaded !he numer of

De$endan!s &ho hae een de$ried of !he 6are and a!!en!ion of

!he dea!h of A%$en&uan Chia) 0he Plain!i2 along &i!h P&.3 P&8

and P&4 in !he eiden6e main!ained !ha! !he" hae su2ereddamage " !he dea!h of A%$en&uan Chia) Learned 6ounsel for !he

Defendan!s did no! 6hallenge !he eiden6e of !he Plain!i2 and

!ha! of his &i!nesses on !he said fa6!) 0he Defendan!s did no! lead

6on!rar" eiden6e !o !ha! of !he Plain!i2 on !he issue) I 7nd !he

eiden6e of !he Plain!i2 on !he de$ria!ion o66asioned him and

!he de$endan!s of A%$en&uan Chia 6redile and un6hallenged)

See HEAL0H CAFRE PROD1C0S (NI+' L0D S BA8 a! >44 6i!ed " learned 6ounsel for !he

Defendan!s)

I !herefore eliee !he said eiden6e and hold !ha! !he

Plain!i2 is en!i!led !o damages for !he dea!h of A%$en&uan Chia)

In assessing damages3 I shall !a%e in!o a66oun! !he ne6essi!"

of !he 6hildren of La!e A%$en&uan Chia in a!!ending s6hool u$ !o

!he 1niersi!" leel along &i!h !he edu6a!ional $ursui! of !he

Plain!i2 &hi6h has een ham$ered " !he dea!h of !heir

read&inner) 0he u$ %ee$ of !he &ife of La!e A%$en&uan Chia

&i!h !he aged fa!her and $aren!s in la& of !he de6eased along

&i!h !he de6lining alue of !he naira in an inKa!ionar" e6onom" in

Nigeria a! !he momen! &ill also e 6onsidered) See I+HRERINIOO

S S)C)C) NI+ L0D (.58' G4 N)S)C))R) (P!) ' G4 a! G.

G8)


9/9

Life i!self is $ri6eless) No amoun! of mone" 6an assuage !he

alue of life !ha! has een los! " reason of !he 6areless 6ondu6!

of an en!i!" &ho has res$onsiili!" !o !a%e ne6essar" 6are !o aer!

a damage !ha! &ould o!her&ise hae een aer!ed) In !he

6ir6ums!an6es3 I here" a&ard N.G35553555)55 general damagesin faor of !he Plain!i2 agains! !he Defendan!s =oin!l" and

seerall") 0he said =udgmen! shall a!!ra6! 5M $os! =udgmen!

in!eres! !hereon &i!h e2e6! from !oda")

Hon) /us!i6e 0)A) ume

-ud+e

CER0IFIED 0R1E COP-

hon. justice t. a. kume-judge 08069263555

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