The management of A.C. Okocha Motors has demanded the sum of N60,000 from its former employee, Mr Taoheed Balogun, the balance of a loan he allegedly collected from the company.

The chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of the company, Chief Ambrose Okocha, made the demand on Tuesday in Abuja before the National Industrial Court.

Taoheed had filed a suit of unlawful termination of his appointment at the court against the company and its CEO.

Taoheed, who joined the services of the defendant on January .2004 as a technical adviser, was dismissed on May, 2008.

Following his dismissal, he approached the court to declare that his dismissal was illegal and that the sum of N1.1 million be paid being the amount of salary owed him.

The claimant is also praying the court to order the defendant to pay the sum of N10 million as damages as well as payment for the services of his counsel.

Under cross-examination, Okocha told the court that his company was not indebted to the claimant but rather the claimant owed his firm N60,000, balance of a loan he collected from the company before his job was terminated.

Okocha said the dismissal of the claimant was not wrong, considering the number of queries in his file arising from misconduct.

The CEO also told the court that the claimant came to his office on three occasions begging for a job as a workshop manager.

He said that he decided to help the claimant acquire training for the post of a technical adviser since the post of workshop manager was not vacant at the time.

Okocha alleged that the claimant was involved in sharp practices and not taking the job seriously.

He also told the court that the claimant was issued several queries and warning letters resulting from acts of indiscipline.

Similarly, Mr Boniface Cheji, General Manager of the company, told the court under cross-examination that the claimant acted contrary to the staff guidelines of the organisation.

Cheji, led in evidence by the defence counsel, Mrs Julian Otulu, said the claimant was always giving one excuse or the other to absent himself from work not knowing that he had a private workshop.

Cheji said that when he found out about the existence of the workshop, he decided to locate the place where he caught the claimant red handed.

He also told the court that by the terms of employment as contained in the claimant’s appointment letter, he was barred from operating a workshop while in the employment of the defendant.

Counsel to the claimant, Mr Gbenga Adesina, alleged that the defendant terminated the appointment of his client on the grounds that he was engaged in private business.

“The defendant is running a slave camp since it controls the activities of its employees outside their official duties.’’

Justice Oluseun Shogbola adjourned the case to March 20 for continuation of hearing.