City court summons Simba and Simba Advocates in Sh1.2m compensation case

Lawyer Nimrod Matunda. He has sued his former Law Firm for wrongful dismissal. [File, Standard]

The Employment and Labour Relations Court in Nairobi has summoned Simba and Simba Advocates in an employment case filed by a former employee.

Lawyer Nimrod Matunda sued the Nairobi-based law firm seeking Sh1.2 million compensation for an alleged unlawful dismissal from work on July 30, 2020.

Deputy Registrar of the ELRC court summoned Simba and Simba advocates to make an appearance. 

Mr Matunda wants the court to compel the law firm to award him a certificate of service. He seeks orders declaring his termination unfair and that he should be reinstated without loss of benefits.

“In the event, he is not reinstated, the claimant wants a 12-month compensation for loss of employment.” The lawyer claimed the firm was biased towards him when it denied him access to his personal information and documents on his office laptop.

Mr Matunda said he was employed on March 23, 2017, as an associate advocate in the litigation department and was earning a monthly gross salary of Sh100,000. He said he faithfully performed his duties with no complaints.

However, on July 30, 2020, Mr Matunda said his employment was terminated.

“The claimant has never been issued with any notice to show cause and no hearing was conducted before his dismissal.” He claimed he was issued a termination letter on August 3, 2020, backdated to July 30, 2020.

He added that he was issued a letter of termination of employment and asked to vacate the office immediately. He noted that two lawyers were recruited to replace him, leaving him without a source of income, worsened by the outbreak of the Covid-19.