Business owner accuses neighbouring motor mechanic of 'rabid racism'

The Nigerian national also claims the landlord of the rental unit has placed a 40-foot container in front of his business in order to get him out

The High Court heard that the racial abuse came in the form of monkey grunts and shouts of 'monkey' accompanied by physical abuse. File picture

Racial abuse in the form of monkey grunts and shouts of “monkey” accompanied by physical abuse have been directed at a Nigerian national with a car valeting business in Tallaght, Dublin, the High Court was told on Tuesday.

Ms Justice Eileen Roberts heard allegations that a motor mechanic and neighbouring Lithuanian businessman, Vilmantas Zutkis, was responsible for “rabid racism” against Stanley Abayeneme who owns the car cleaning business.

Barrister Femi Daniyan, who appeared with Waheed Mudah of Kevin Tunney Solicitors, Tallaght, told Judge Roberts that Mr Abayeneme was seeking a restraining order against Zutkis, regarding the alleged racism, and against John McLaughlin, the landlord to both businessmen, regarding his alleged blocking of Abayeneme’s valeting unit by placing a 40 foot long steel container in front of it.

Although interim restraints were sought by Abayeneme in the absence of both Zutkis and landlord McLoughlin, of Coolfadda House, Laurel Walk, Bandon, Co Cork, Judge Roberts granted only an order for short service of proceedings against both defendants.

Mr Abayeneme told Judge Roberts in written evidence that he rented Unit 2 Greenhills Bungalows, Blessington Road, Tallaght, from McLoughlin and Zutkis rented the adjoining Unit 1 for his car servicing business.

Abayeneme stated:

I have always been subjected to racial and physical violence (by Zutkis) and have made a number of complaints to Gardaí and the landlord with nothing done by either of the two.

He said Zutkis’s conduct was aggressive and obstructive and included direct racial abuse of him in front of his customers, threats to his employee and interference to footfall with his business.

“(Zutkis) will come to my unit and racially abuse me and my worker, John Onuigbo Obinna, calling us monkeys, placing bananas in front of our shop and threatening (us) with deportation back to Nigeria in a container,” Mr Abayeneme told the court.

Although Zutkis had claimed not to have any English he would make racist slurs at every opportunity trying to provoke a reaction, Abayeneme claimed. 

He had suffered daily stress, reputational damage and financial loss and, although having reported him to their landlord, McLoughlin had failed to intervene but had admitted to placing the container in an attempt to get him out and instructing him to vacate the unit.

He said both Zutkis, by parking cars, and McLoughlin by placing the container, were obstructing access to and even the view of his unit. Last week his unit had been burgled and tyres, tools and cash worth €200,000 had been taken.

Anti-social behavior

Counsel opened correspondence between Kevin Tunney Solicitors for Abayeneme and Dillon Eustace, on record for Mr McLoughlin, of the REMCOLL Group, in which it was alleged Abeyeneme was responsible for anti-social behavior.

Dillon Eustace stated in a letter of August 5 last that Mr McLoughlin had video evidence of Abayeneme attacking Zutkis with a stick and visibly breaking it on his leg; throwing a ladder at Mr Zutkis and damaging property by spray-painting windows.

Judge Roberts heard that Mr Abayeneme had made seven different complaints to gardaí at Tallaght, quoting Pulse numbers, and instead of any action having been taken by them on his behalf, he was now facing prosecution for the alleged breaking of two window panes in Zutkis’s unit.

Judge Roberts directed that notification of short service of the application for injunctions be made to Mr Zutkis and Mr McLoughlin and returned the proceedings until Friday.