MSU defies court order

Midlands Bureau
Midlands State University (MSU) has defied a court order to reinstate four security guards it unlawfully dismissed early this year on allegations of misappropriating funds.

Security guards at the university formed an association, the Midlands State University Campus Police Association to push for the resolution of their grievances.

According to court papers the university’s management later got involved in the administration of the association’s funds before they fired the quartet of Doubt Chivi, Farai Chidonhi, Ndakaziva Dombo and Rueben Musengeyi who were part of the Campus Police Association committee.

The quartet approached the Labour Court challenging the university’s interference with the association’s affairs and their subsequent dismissal.

The four, who were represented by Mr Norman Hlabano of Hlabano Law Chambers, won the case after Judge Justice Custom Kachambwa ruled in their favour.

“This is an application for review of the proceedings of the Midlands State University (MSU). The applicants are former employees of the respondent. They were office bearers of the Midlands State University Campus Police Association,” read part of the judgment by Justice Kachambwa.

“Can an employer order an audit of a workers organisation books of finance and subsequently charge the office bearers of theft in terms of the employer’s code of conduct?

“From the above discourse the proceedings must be found to be irregular and set aside. The applicants are entitled to be reinstated. It is accordingly ordered that the applicants be and are hereby reinstated without loss of salary and benefits,”

The institution is, however, still to reinstate the four more than five months after the ruling.