Why Shaffie Weru is yet to sue Radio Africa
Former radio presenter Shaffie Weru does not intend to sue his former employer Radio Africa Group (RAG) for wrongful termination as long as he is well compensated for his more than a decade of service to the station.
Weru had threatened to file a case against the station late last month demanding Sh21 million for ‘unlawful termination’ in a demand letter and gave it a seven-day ultimatum.
The former Programs Controller at Homeboyz Radio, who was sacked on March 27, says he sought legal advice to demand compensation based on his contract and years of service.
He added that his legal decision was meant to protect his interests for fear of being short changed by his former employer due to the turn of events after he was fired.
“I did not sue them (RAG), I just sent them a demand note for my dues. I was working for a company I made millions for, for decades. The issue is this, I have all my benefits and the things I need them to pay me and I’m good. I have no issue with the company,” Shaffie said in a conversation with What’s Your Story host Catherine Mwangi in KTN.
The presenter insists Radio Africa betrayed his 18 years of service to the company by how it handled his case maintaining his sentiments on air on a case in which a woman was thrown off a building in Nairobi after rejecting the advances of a man he met on Facebook, which got him fired, were misunderstood.
“Out of all the other shows, what we did is nothing out of the normal. Then going forward with everything in their disposal, the recorded show which is part of CAK rule, guys would have just sat down and listened (to the entire conversation). But how they did not give that whole process a chance, there was no investigation conducted. How we were suspended on Friday and fired on Saturday night is what really ticked me. That’s the reason I sought legal guidance because I felt hapa nitachezwa. I mean, I had been this tough presenter for 18 years and in less than 24 hours I can be reduced to nothing,” he added.
Should the company fail to pay him his dues, Weru said he believes the law is on his side as his contribution to RAG over the years is sufficient to win him the case should it go that way.
In his demand letter, which was countered by one from RAG, he demanded one month’s salary in lieu of notice totaling Sh682,5000 and 12 months’ salary for unfair termination totaling Sh8,190,000 as well as gratuity of Sh12,285,000.