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Former employee sues Movenpick Hotel

Former employee sues Movenpick Hotel

A former employee of the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel has sued the hotel for dismissing him over an allegation that he stole three sachets of Milo beverage.

Mr Kwame Akuako Sarpong, who worked as a closed circuit television (CCTV) operator and a security officer, claims he was sacked in February, 2016 despite the hotel not providing any evidence of him stealing the items.

In the writ filed at the Labour Division of the Accra High Court, Mr Sarpong is seeking a declaration that his dismissal was unlawful and is also seeking damages for “unlawful/ wrongful dismissal.’’

He also wants the court to order the hotel to pay all the entitlements due him.

But in its statement of defence, the hotel has rejected Mr Sarpong’s claims, explaining that he was caught red-handed with the three sachets of Milo.

“A body search on the plaintiff (Sarpong) in the presence of his supervisor revealed three sachets of 440 grams of Milo beverage and some toffees belonging to the defendant (Movenpick) concealed on the plaintiff,’’ the statement of defence said.

Mr Sarpong’s case

Per Mr Sarpong’s statement of claim, he was employed by Movenpick on June 3, 2011 as a CCTV operator and was later made a security man on December 16, 2014.

He alleged that his employment was characterised by hatred and discrimination on the part of his CCTV supervisor, identified as Mr Noah Ayittey.

He claims the supervisor orchestrated many moves to have him sacked and whenever he complained to the management of the hotel, his complaints fell on deaf ears.

Giving instances of his allegation, he said, in December, 2014, through the efforts of his supervisor, he received a query saying he had used the company’s telephone facility to make personal calls to the tune of GH¢ 5,030.

According to him, the query letter indicated that the money would be deducted from his salary.

“When I called for the itemised bills, it was discovered that the entire bill that plaintiff (Sarpong) and his colleagues were asked to pay amounted to GH¢4,938, but the plaintiff  alone was made to pay GH¢ 5,030,’’ the statement of claim said.

With regard to the incident that led to his sacking, he claims on January 22, 2016, he was at post as a security man when a guest at the hotel requested for water.

He said he left his post and decided to tell his security supervisor to get any of the beverage staff to serve the guest.

“A few minutes later, Noah Ayittey confronted the plaintiff that someone had reported that plaintiff stole three sachets of Milo’’ the statement of claim added.

According to him, on January 28, 2016, he was served with a letter inviting him to a disciplinary hearing on charges of stealing.

The hearing, he said, led to his dismissal on February 10, 2016, but he appealed on March 1, 2016 and since that day, Movenpick had not communicated the outcome of the appeal.

Movenpick’s defence

On the allegation of the telephone bills, Movenpick stated in its statement of defence that Mr Sarpong indeed used the hotel’s facility to make private calls to the tune of GH¢ 5,030 from April to September, 2014, despite several warnings from management.

“The plaintiff (Sarpong) in his response dated November 21, 2014 to a query on such unauthorised and private use of the telephone facility admitted the offence and pleaded that he got carried away with some vital family calls,’’ the statement of defence averred.

 

Writer’s email: [email protected]

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