The Lebanese manager of Toppan Printing Company, Kaveh Noine, who assaulted an underpaid female worker, Alexandra Ossai, causing her to lose her pregnancy has been arrested by Police in Kano after fleeing Lagos to evade justice.
The police swung into action after a Presidential order calling for investigation of the case by all relevant law enforcement agencies was issued. President Jonathan became interested in the case after an outcry for justice by Nigerian people on social media networks.
Lagos State Police spokesperson, Ngozi Braide, said, “Even before President Goodluck Jonathan ordered an investigation into the case, the Lagos State Police Command has been on it.
“In the course of our investigation, we discovered that Noine was still in the country; he had fled to Kano. Our men traced him to Kano, arrested him and have brought him back to Lagos.
“Presently, he is making his statement now at the command. The issue of bail, has not come up for now.”
The battered woman told Punch, “I started working at Toppan in April. I earn N17,000 salary and work from Monday to Saturday. Anytime Noine was annoyed, he would beat the person he was angry with. Sometimes, he would throw whatever he can lay his hands on at the person. Prior to that incident, Noine had slapped me many times.
“Noine had said he would hold me responsible for the shortcomings of the people I supervised. As a result, I often assisted my subordinates in their duties to make sure that Noine had nothing to complain about.”
She said Noine beat her up due to a package he saw on the floor in her section.
“It was a container for a drug. That is what we do; we produce packets for drugs and perfumes. So when Noine saw one of such packets on the floor, he was so angry that he gave me a blow to the chest,” she recalled.
Ossai said, “He said I looked like a mad person. After abusing me, he hit me on my neck twice. Then, without warning, he kicked my stomach with his knee. Some co-workers were there but they did not intervene. I felt a sharp pain in my stomach.”
She failed to report the matter to her husband which was her usual practice.
“I never for once told my husband what I was going through at work. I didn’t want him to come and fight Noine. I pleaded with my siblings not to fight,” Ossai said.
She said, “I didn’t know that my baby had died until two days after the surgery. I was told my baby lost his face too due to the kick.”