Four former cashiers of Maasai Mara University who have sued the institution over wrongful dismissal were fired for alleged embezzlement of funds, a Nakuru court heard yesterday.
Three of the former employees; William Morogo, Amos Kitaka and Peter Okemwa, who testified in court told the court that their employer dismissed them without following due process as spelt out in the labour laws accusing them of failing to appear before the University’s audit council.
They told Justice Stephen Radido that they were sacked on November 6, 2012 after they were accused of misappropriating more than Sh300,000 belonging to the institution which private auditors said was unremitted and could not be accounted for.
“I appeared before the disciplinary committee on June 28, 2012 and was reinstated but later l received a letter of summary dismissal on November 6 on grounds that l failed to appear before the audit council,” Morogo told the court during his testimony.
The workers moved to court demanding compensation over wrongful dismissal, certificates of service and allowances and benefits they were entitled to.
They told the court that the institution erred in law when it failed to give them notice for impending termination of their services and that they were denied fair hearing before being laid off.
The workers also averred that the ‘rude’ dismissal they received from the institution had adversely affected their chances of securing employment elsewhere, and subjected their families to untold suffering and want the court to compel the higher learning institution to pay for the damages caused.
They told the court that even after appearing before disciplinary committee which cleared them and lifted suspensions they had earlier received, they were shocked to be invited again to face the university audit committee.
According to them the invitation was malicious and a witch-hunt as they had already been reinstated by letters dated July 3, 2012 which they produced in court.
The university, through its lawyer, has however maintained that the employees were sacked for failing to obey a lawful order to appear before the institution’s audit council to be fully cleared after they pilfered the cash while working as cashiers at the university‘s cafeteria department.
The fourth employee, Daniel Cheboi, is set to testify in court on December 17 when hearing of the case continues.