Callous Indian ordered to pay 206m damages

The Evening News, a state-own daily, says a 206 million-cedi general damages, including costs, awarded in 1999 against Mr Selvan, an Indian supervisor at the Tema Steel Company Limited who poured hot water into the ear of a sleeping Ghanaian casual worker has been unanimously affirmed by the Court of Appeal in Accra.

Judgement of the court read by Mr Justice A.A. Benin (who presided) said the Tema High Court which initially heard the case, was justified in relying on the evidence of the plaintiff backed by expert opinion of an Audiologist that the ear of Mr Michael Opoku got damaged due to the ill-treatment and that local treatment was not available except abroad.

According to the expert, the plaintiff sustained injuries and pain to his right ear to the extent that he had become "profoundly deaf".

The Tema High Court, which found Selvan liable, awarded 200 million cedis in general damages, 1.5 million cedis special damages and 5 million cedis cost in favour of the plaintiff.