Jean-Robert Ngola (courtesy YouTube LiberSolis)
A former New Brunswick doctor who was accused of starting a COVID-19 outbreak has launched a lawsuit against the Government of New Brunswick, the RCMP and Meta, the parent company of Facebook.
Joel Etienne, the lawyer representing Dr. Jean-Robert Ngola, confirmed to our newsroom the lawsuit was filed in the New Brunswick Court of Queen’s Bench on Thursday.
Ngola alleges he was barraged with death threats and racist insults after he was accused of being “patient zero” in a COVID-19 outbreak in 2020 for failing to self-isolate after an out-of-province trip. As a result, Ngola relocated to Quebec to escape the harassment.
During a pandemic briefing in May 2020, Premier Blaine Higgs didn’t provide a name but noted how an “irresponsible” health care worker caused a COVID-19 outbreak in Campbellton.
The Crown dropped a charge under New Brunswick’s Emergency Measures Act against Ngola.
In the aftermath, the Congolese Canadian offered the premier several opportunities to make a public apology, to which Higgs refused.
A statement of claim obtained by our newsroom says the premier and the province took no adequate precautions and steps to mitigate any damages on Ngola.
Furthermore, the premier knew or should have known that his actions would be instrumental in endangering Ngola’s life, it says.
During the investigation of the doctor, the document alleges the RCMP mobilized and assigned 21 members to the case.
Social media giant Meta, previously known as Facebook, is also named in the statement of claim. It accuses Facebook allowed the dissemination of hateful, racist statements that incited hatred against an identifiable group.
The document did not include the specific amount of damages being requested.
With files from Allan Dearing and Robert Lothian.
