IKYEGH JCA (Delivering the Lead Judgment): On 19 April 2004, the High Court of Justice of Oyo State sitting at Ibadan (Olakanmi, C. J. ) entered judgment for respondent against appellants in a claim for wrongful dismissal from employment brought by the former against the latter, agitating the present appeal. The evidence before the court below as sifted from the bundle of documents compiled by appellants with the leave of the court granted on 28 February 2008, comprising the pleadings, the judgment appealed against and the notice of appeal, indicated respondent was at all material times in the confirmed employment of appellants as a circulation manager (night duty); he served in various capacities and in several parts of Nigeria until 14 December 1988, when appellants dismissed him from service on the allegation of stealing fifty (50) copies of the Nigerian Tribune newspaper; an allegation respondent had vehemently denied.
The courtbelow heard evidence, admitted some documents as exh…