THE DIRECTOR GENERAL, DEPT. OF STATE SERVICES, ABUJA THE STATE DIRECTOR, DEPT. OF STATE SERVICES, UYO V. EPHOD WILLIAMS BRIGGS

CHUKWUMA-ENEH JCA (Delivering the Lead Judgment): Thisappeal is against the decision of the Federal High Court (coram Olotu J.) sitting at Uyo delivered on 9/3/2004 in favour of the plaintiff (respondent). Aggrieved by the decision, the defendant by a notice of appeal, as per pages 85 - 87 of the record has appealed to this court and has raised therein two substantive grounds of appeal against the decision. The parties in accordance with the rules of this court have filed and exchanged their respective briefs of argument in the matter. The appellants in its brief of argument filed on 12/4/2005 has raised two issues for determination and they are as follows: “(i) Whether the judgment of the learned trial Judge does not amount to giving the plaintiff double compensation.

Whether the learned trial Judge was right in giving judgment touching on and concerning a statute which she never had opportunity to read. Or put differently, whether the Judge was right in speculatingon a statute not …