Court awards N100m damages against Abuja school over student’s death

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja has ordered Louisville Girls Secondary School, Gwagwalada, to pay N100 million in general damages for negligence that led to the tragic death of a nine-year-old student, Kamzie Ikpeatusim.

Justice Sylvanus Oriji, who delivered the ruling on Tuesday, held the school liable for a breach of duty of care in a suit filed by the child’s father, Ifeanyi Ikpeatusim.

In the case marked CV/1738/18, Mr Ikpeatusim accused the school of failing to provide adequate medical care after his daughter fell ill shortly after her admission. The court agreed with the plaintiff’s argument that the school’s negligence played a direct role in Kamzie’s untimely death.

Kamzie was admitted as a boarding student in September 2017 and became severely ill by 2 October. She died a few days later.

Mr Oriji held that the evidence presented clearly showed the school and its agents acted negligently by failing to attend promptly and adequately to Kamzie’s medical needs.

“The claimant established his allegations of negligence against the school.

“There is no amount of money that can bring back the child to life,” the judge ruled.

The court awarded N100 million as general damages and ordered a 10 per cent interest on the judgement sum from 8 April until full payment.

An additional N300,000 was awarded as the cost of the suit.

Mr Oriji noted that one significant outcome of the case was the improvement of the school’s sickbay following the incident.

He remarked that the presence of doctors attending to students twice daily was a commendable development.

Though the claimant had requested that a school structure be named in honour of Kamzie.

Mr Oriji said: “The court is of the opinion that the improvement in the sickbay, ensuring doctors are available twice daily, is in honour of Kamzie, as as part of reforms recommended by her family.

“The claimant should take solace in the fact that Kamzie has been honoured by the school through these improvements.”

(NAN)