Gilbert Jedida Ogango, the clerk who is accusing Siaya Senator James Orengo, for failing to pay him Sh950,000 in salary arrears. [Photo/ The Star]A former clerk at James Orengo's law firm has taken the senior counsel to court over non-payment of wages amounting to Sh950,000.In an urgent case filed before the Employment and Labour Relation Court on Thursday, Gilbert Ogango said he had to persevere at the J.A.B Orengo Advocates as the senior lawyer kept promising him that he will be paid once the harsh economic times are over.Ogango is accusing the Siaya Senator of frustrating him and blatantly refusing to pay him for the 17 months that he worked at his law firm."But by looking at the change in the law firm, the harsh economic times has since passed on and changed for the better but he still refuses to pay me," Ogango says in an affidavit as quoted by the Star.He adds: "I am now led to believe that they had been misleading me and as such my hopes and patience have been dashed and some to naught."According to his suit papers, Ogango was employed as a clerk at the law firm through an oral contract in 2008. They agreed that he will earn a salary of Sh20,000 per month.Before the Employment court, Ogago now wants the judge to compel Orengo to pay him Sh340,000 as salary arrears for the period that he worked without pay.He also wants one month's salary in lieu of notice, house allowance being 15 per cent of basic pay amounting to Sh267,000.The clerk also want to be compensated for the unfair loss of employment at Sh240,000, severance pay of 15 days each year completed for seven years he worked. This is coming to Sh80,500.He says that trouble began in September 2014 when the law firm failed to pay him but did not read anything strange as his salary would sometimes delay for various reasons, adds the Star."It was later that I got worried as the payment took a while despite my dedicated service," the clerk said.Despite the delays, Ogango says he proceeded to work for 17 months without pay in the belief that the fortunes would turn and payments would resume.He opted to end his contract in February 2016 when things continued to remain the same and sought for his terminal dues, but which did not come.

Do you have a lead on a newsworthy story? Share news tips with us here at Hivisasa!