Former Kenya Airways chief executive officer Titus Naikuni has been ordered to pay KSh 10 million to an employee he unlawfully sacked during his stint at the national carrier.
Naikuni confronted and later dismissed the then head of Corporate and Communication Kepha Moreno Bosire after he turned up for an event sponsored by the local airline wearing T-shirt bearing competitor’s logo.
The incident which happened during a marathon event at Lemek Conservancy in 2013 saw Naikuni undress his junior staff in front of colleagues and later order his security personnel to whisk him away.
On Thursday, July 11, during hearing of the case, the Employer and Labour Relations Court found the actions by the former KQ boss were unjustifiable and he would be personally liable.
Justice Nelson Abuodha said as the company boss, he ought to have used other alternative means if he wanted the claimant not to attend the event, either to have him approached through his security personnel or be removed from the function.
The judge further found that he not only removed Bosire’s t-shirt but also authorised the director of Human Resource to dismiss him.
The company never offered Bosire an opportunity to defend himself as per the labour laws.