Just a day after former Homeboyz presenter Shaffie Weru sent a Ksh21 million demand letter to Radio Africa for unfair and wrongful termination, the employer has issued a countersuit.
On Wednesday, Radio Africa in a statement said that it will sue Shaffie for breach of contract and negligence.
Radio Africa stated that it will sue its former employee for Ksh150 million in damages citing loss of business and reputational damage.
“His actions were unconscionable and amount to severe gross misconduct. He should have known better having been in the media industry for 18 years and receiving continuous training on media regulators’ programming codes, broadcasting regulations and codes of conduct and ethics. Including a very recent training by the Media Council of Kenya in February 2021 which covered: Ethics and Code of Conduct, Fake news and Fact checking, Interview skills, Conflict Sensitive Journalism, Hate Speech Dilemma in media, On-air presentation skills,” Radio Africa said.
Radio Africa manages Homeboyz Radio where Shaffie worked until March 27 when his contract was terminated over utterances, he made during the Lit Off breakfast show on March 24 regarding sexual violence on women.
Shaffie was shown the door together with Neville and DJ Joe Mfalme who equally issued distasteful statements on gender-based violence.
Shaffie through MMA Advocates on Tuesday in a letter to Radio Africa said that he was shocked to learn of his dismissal after working for the company for 18 years.
Shaffie in his demands now suing his employer for Ksh21,157,500 in damages calculated on his annual salary of Ksh682,500 and gratuity for years served.
His lawyers say that their client learnt of his dismissal via social media.
“Indeed and shockingly so, the aforesaid termination of our client’s employment services via social media was confirmed to our client when he checked his WhatsApp messages on the morning of 27th March 2021 and saw the same letter circulating on social media forwarded to him by yourselves at 11:00PM on 26th March 2021. In effect, our client was suspended on 26th March 2021 during the day, and terminated on the same day at 11:00PM vide a letter dated 27th March 2021…” the lawyers stated.
