A female sex predator who had been preying on defenseless male junior colleague is fighting to retain her job after being sacked.
The lawyer was sacked from Kituo Cha Sheria for calling her junior male staff nicknames that the employer considered to be sexual harassment.
The woman, name withheld for legal reasons and dignity, was sacked after the male employee she was salivating over complained of sexual harassment.
The victim said the predatory boss used to refer him with romantic words such as ‘baby boy’, ‘baby lollipop’ among others.
The woman was working as a programme coordinator at Kituo Cha Sheria until November 2022 when she was sacked over the sexual harassment.
The man who was sexually harassed made the complaint against the lawyer on April 23, 2022.
The sex predator was asked to respond and she was subjected to the disciplinary process, in accordance with section 41 of the Employment Act, 2007.
“It was concluded that the petitioner was involved in sexual harassment of an employee whom she had supervisory control over by repeatedly using the term “baby boy” and “boy lollipop” when referring to him without his consent and through advances of a sexual nature that were both verbal and physical,” the affidavit reads in part.
A disciplinary committee found that the woman’s style was characterised by micro-managing of staff and favouritism.
Another allegation is that she lacked collegiality, which resulted in an unhealthy work environment that affected the mental health of staff within the organisation, among other reasons, in the notice of termination.
The board of directors adopted the committee’s findings and resolved to terminate the lawyer’s employment and the decision was implemented by a letter dated November 11, 2022.
She lodged an internal appeal against the termination and lost. According to the advocates, the reasons for termination were valid and lawful as informed by a board committee hearing and the petitioner was duly heard but failed to exculpate herself.
After being sacked, the woman sued Kituo cha Sheria at the Employment and Labour Relations Court, claiming unfair dismissal.
The court is now expected to rule on whether giving an employee an affectionate name that is deemed to be suggestive, amounts to sexual harassment at the workplace.
The court will also determine whether the process of termination was lawful.
The woman has since lost a bid to suspend the termination of her employment pending the hearing and determination of her petition in which she is seeking reinstatement and damages.
She also wanted the court to block the organisation from recruiting another person to replace her.
