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The Nairobian

Oil executive warned of long jail term

Business

By EMMANUEL WERE | Oct 04, 2013

By EMMANUEL WERE

The KenolKobil chief executive officer faces up to six months in jail if he does not appear in court to hear a case filed by the oil marketers’ employees, court documents show.

David Ohana has been summoned to appear before the Industrial Court on October 7, in a case pitting employees against the oil marketer.

Vincent Njoroge, Philip Otenyo and Ronald Lugaba, acting on behalf of other employees, moved to court last year challenging the Swiss-based Puma Energy’s take-over of KenolKobil.

Several employees were dismissed when the court case was initiated.

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The employees, in court documents, argued that KenolKobil was sacking workers to scuttle and frustrate their case against the company.

However, even though Puma’s bid for KenolKobil was called off earlier this year, the court case continued.

However, Kenolkobil’s management has not been turning up for the mention and hearing of the cases. This has prompted the court to take action against the management team.

“It is hereby ordered that Mr David Ohana, the Managing Director of the Respondent Company (KenolKobil), appears before this Honorable Court on Monday, the 7th Day of October, 2013,” reads an order issued by the Industrial court on October 1.

If Ohana fails to appear before the court he will faces the prospect of going to jail or any other punishment deemed by the court.

“Any disobedience or non-observance of the order of the court given on 1st October, 2013 served herewith will result in Penal Consequences against you (Mr Ohana) seeking your detention for a period not exceeding six months and other punishment for you together with any remedy available in law,” the court order reads.

When reached for comment by The Standard, Ohana said he was out of the country and could not comment. Ohana took over as the KenolKobil CEO in July, from Jacob Segman who headed the firm for 16 years.

Securities Exchange

Segman, who joined KenolKobil in 1990, was in April 2010 appointed chairman, making him the only chief executive to double up as board chair among the companies listed at the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE).

KenolKobil returned to profitability, posting a Sh147 million half-year net profit, after reporting a historic Sh3.9 billion loss in the same period last year.