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Former Telecel boss sues employer over Jeep Cherokee

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Telecel Zimbabwe’s former head of human resources and administration, Findros Godzi, has approached the High Court seeking an order compelling his former paymasters to allow him to retain a Jeep Cherokee he had been offered through a staff vehicle purchase scheme.

Telecel Zimbabwe’s former head of human resources and administration, Findros Godzi, has approached the High Court seeking an order compelling his former paymasters to allow him to retain a Jeep Cherokee he had been offered through a staff vehicle purchase scheme.

BY CHARLES LAITON

Godzi lost his job at the telecommunications company during a retrenchment exercise triggered by the Supreme Court’s labour ruling on July 17 last year.

In his summons issued under case number HC12550/15, Godzi, who cited Telecel Zimbabwe as respondent, said although he was yet to challenge his unlawful dismissal from employment, he was seeking an order allowing him to keep the vehicle, since he had already paid over half of its purchase price.

“The plaintiff (Godzi) and the defendant (Telecel) had a contract of employment where plaintiff was employed as head of human resources and administration, a position that made him eligible for a motor vehicle purchase scheme in the company,” Godzi’s lawyers said in their court application.

The former Telecel boss said the company had, during the course of employment, asked him to pay $25 000 being 30% of the actual value of the motor vehicle over a period of five years.

court-gavel

Godzi further said a date for last payment of the vehicle was fixed as October 25, 2018, where ownership would be changed to his name.

“It is not in dispute that during the subsistence of their contract of employment, the defendant deducted $493 for 23 months making a total of $11 339 to date until the abrupt termination of employment by defendant, the legality of which the plaintiff seeks to challenge,” the lawyers said.

“He never committed any act of misconduct and a disciplinary hearing was never convened. The notice of termination of employment dated July 22, 2015 has it as a term of contract that the plaintiff has an option to either (i) purchase the motor vehicle or (ii) to return it to the defendant and get a refund.

“Wherefore, plaintiff prays for judgment as follows: (a) an order that the Jeep Cherokee registration letter and number ACU 6657 is hereby registered in the name of the plaintiff forthwith.”

Telecel has since entered an appearance to defend notice and challenge Godzi’s application.