Police arrest Lebanese manager who assaulted pregnant woman

Alexandra Ossai

Following his alleged brutal assault on a woman who worked under him, a manager with Toppan Printing Company, Kaveh Noine, was on Friday arrested by the Lagos state Police Command.
Noine, a Lebanese, allegedly kicked the woman, Alexandra Ossai, in the stomach two weeks ago, over some misdemeanor by those she supervised. His kick caused her to lose her pregnancy.
When news of the incident went viral, especially on social media, Pres. Goodluck Jonathan swiftly condemned the brutality and ordered the police and the National Human Rights Commission to investigate the matter.

The Lagos state Police Command however said that even before the order by the president was given, it had already begun investigation into the case.
Noine was arrested on Friday by the Lagos State Police Command in Kano where he had fled to on Friday and he was immediately brought back to Lagos.
Ngozi Braide, the Lagos Police Public Relations Officer confirming the incident said that "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."
According to the victim, Ossai, her boss Noine had a habit of assaulting staff of the company. She said that during her eight months stay in the company, he assaulted her several times. Whenever he was angry, she said he physically assaulted workers at the company with anything he could lay his hands on.
According to reports by The Punch:
"The 34-year-old mother of one was said to have developed pains in her tummy which lasted for two days before subsiding. The pains were said to have begun again in the early hours of December 16, 2013, resulting into an emergency surgery at a private hospital at Fagba.
Her seven-month pregnancy was allegedly lost to the kick, as a result of a broken placenta. Ossai's appointment with the company was allegedly terminated as a result of the incident and two of her siblings who also worked there were sacked.
Already, the Lagos State Public Advice Centre has waded into the case and offered Ossai free legal aid. The Public Relations Officer of the centre, Mr. Alex Omorodion, said, "We are going to liaise with other security agencies in Lagos State to see this matter to a logical conclusion. We also intend to visit the factory and talk with other workers to determine if more people have been abused by Noine. Then we will prosecute Noine at the conclusion of our investigation."
by Segun Odeleye