An Accra High Court has adjourned the First Atlantic Bank sexual harassment case to April 6, 2023.
This was after the court presided over by Justice Olivia Obeng Owusu directed the applicant to serve the second respondent (First Atlantic Bank) with their written submissions before the next court date.
The legal team for the bank informed the court that although the applicant’s submission was filed on March 21, they are yet to be served with the document.
On this ground, the court ordered the applicant and her lawyers to ensure that the bank was served with the written submission.
On the other hand, counsel for the first respondent, Ama Opoku Amponsah, confirmed that they had been served with the written submissions.
It will be recalled that a former National Service Scheme (NSS) person Deborah Seyram Adablah filed a sexual harassment suit against the Director of Finance of First Atlantic Bank, Ernest Kwasi Nimako.
Per the suit, the two appear to have been in a romantic relationship, but things turned sour when the defendant, Mr Nimako, breached an agreement to take care of her.
Ms Deborah contends that her ‘sugar daddy’ agreed to buy her a car, pay for her three-year accommodation, and give her a monthly stipend of GH¢3,000.
The Director of Finance also promised to marry her after divorcing his wife and give her a lump sum to start a business.
It is her case that the ‘sugar daddy’ bought the car but registered it in his name.
Later, he denied her access to use it after about a year of enjoying the Honda Civic worth GH¢120,000, while he also paid for only one year of accommodation.
She further states that she had turned down an opportunity to be a permanent staff after her national service due to the manager’s promise of making life comfortable for her.
But all the promises and assurances failed to see the light of day.
It is on these grounds that the plaintiff filed the suit.
As part of the reliefs, the plaintiff is seeking an order from the court directed at the defendant to fulfil all promises, including the payment of the remaining two-year rent, as well as changing the title of the car into her name.
Following the action, the First Atlantic Bank has requested that its name be withdrawn from the lawsuit filed by the former NSS worker.
In an application dated January 24, First Atlantic Bank requested that seven paragraphs of the writ be dismissed “on the ground that they disclose no reasonable cause of action against the applicant”.
The said paragraphs accuse the bank of watching while female workers are being harassed sexually by senior male officers of the bank.
The substantive case alleging sexual harassment would be dealt with after this preliminary application.
