Former Kenya Airways boss Titus Naikuni has been fined Sh10 million by Labour Court in Nairobi for stripping employee donning Arsenal shirt with bearing inscription of ‘Fly Emirates’
The court found that Naikuni used his position as a CEO to humiliate Kepha Bosire in 2013 at a Marathon dance dinner.
Justice Nelson Abuodha ordered Naikuni to perdonally pay Bosire Sh1.8 million three months’ salary in lieu of notice, Sh 7.2 million for unfair sacking and Sh1 million for compensation for undignified treatment.
“The court is of the view that this is a proper case for award of full compensation under section 49 of the Employment Act and also issues order against the first respondent (Naikuni) personally compensate the claimant for subjecting him to undignified treatment since his actions went outside his role as the second respondent (KQ) CEO,” the judge ruled.
Bosire told the court that he incident happened when they attended a marathon event organised by KQ at Lemek Conservancy.
He alleged that Naikuni, at 9.30pm, when stripped him of an Arsenal team T-shirt labelled Fly Emirates.
Bosire claimed Naikuni stripped him of garment promoting football club Arsenal sponsor Emirates
Fly Emirates is the main sponsor of Arsenal and a close rival of the national airline.
The court heard that NIkuni forrcibly removed Bosire’s blazer and stripped him of the T-shirt and left with it.
Naikuni defended himself saying that Bosire ought to have worn an attire promoting KQ and not its rivals.
He also claimed that his junior voluntarily removed the t-shirt and subsequently left KQ a month after the confrontation.
However, the court did not believe him, noting that he had overstepped his mandate as a CEO.
While faulting Naikuni for the tiff, the judge observed that he would have used his own guards to drive away Bosire and have the t-shirt removed.