British-Nigerian Civil Servant’s Racism Case Against Ministry of Defence Dismissed

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Victor Stanley-Idum, a senior civil servant of Nigerian heritage in the UK, has lost a lawsuit against the Ministry of Defence (MoD) after being disciplined for using official working hours to attend to personal errands, including taking an Uber to the airport.

The case, reported by Leading Britain’s Conversation, revolved around Stanley-Idum’s claim of racial discrimination after he was reprimanded in 2021 for allegedly disregarding work hours. He argued that his superiors held biased views, particularly the stereotype that “Black Africans are lazy,” leading to unfair treatment.

However, a tribunal hearing rejected his claims and sided with the MoD. During the hearing, it was revealed that Stanley-Idum had been regularly absent during remote working hours, often citing reasons like shopping for a vacuum cleaner or experiencing internet issues. His manager, Sharon Docherty, implemented a stricter schedule after noting concerns about his work performance.

The situation escalated when Stanley-Idum reportedly took an Uber to the airport during working hours, claiming he was still working while in transit. He later filed a suit alleging racial harassment, disability discrimination, and victimisation, but the tribunal found no evidence to support his accusations.

Judge Tim Adkin concluded there was no indication that Docherty or the department harboured racial stereotypes about Stanley-Idum. The tribunal also dismissed his assertion that he worked remotely while traveling in an Uber, pointing out that he had also failed to attend a team-building day at Sandhurst, which had been planned in advance.

Stanley-Idum, who started with the MoD as an analyst in 2017, was promoted to project manager in 2020, one month after the COVID-19 lockdown began.