AFRICAN LIFE FINANCIAL SERVICES ALLOWED BY HIGH COURT TO COMMENCE CONTEMPT PROCEEDINGS AGAINST MS NAWAKWI
AFRICAN Life Financial Services limited has been authorised to commence contempt of court proceedings against FDD leader Edith Nawakwi for alleging that former workers of Anglo American were not paid their dues before their transition to its organisation in 2000 while the case is pending determination.
According to an order dated May 14, justice Susan Wanjelani directed that the applicant, Munakupya Hantuba, is granted leave to apply for an order of contempt of court against the alleged contemnor, Nawakwi.
This is in a matter where Dickson Mtonga and 22 other security guards sued African Life Financial Services limited in 2014 demanding US$300,000 and terminal benefits owed to them following their transfer.
African Life Financial Services limited asked the court to commit Nawakwi to prison for misrepresenting facts when she alleged that it was liable to pay its former employees US$300,000 when the matter was still active before court.
It said Nawakwi’s utterances during a press briefing were calculated at prejudicing the general public against it.
She said the former Anglo American security guards were never paid their terminal benefits but they were transferred from Anglo America to African Life with a package of US$3,000 and they have never been paid to date.
African Life Financial Services stated Nawakwi’s conduct was intended to deliberately misrepresent the facts surrounding the case to impede the administration of justice by creating an impression that it had been liable to settle the claimed sum.
In an affidavit in support of summons for leave to apply for an order of committal, Hantuba, an executive director at African Life Financial Services, said the matter was subjudice as rules of the court prohibit any person from making utterances relating to matters pending determination.
Hantuba stated that Nawakwi’s utterances on February 6, 2021 were in breach of the rules of the court.
He said the matter was yet to be concluded and there are witnesses who are yet to testify in the matter.