The senior state attorney, who was fired after raising sexual harassment claims against her supervisor at the Justice ministry, has petitioned the Industrial Court, seeking redress.
Ms Samantha Mwesigye, in her petition filed before the court on December 19, wants her alleged tormentor, Mr Christopher Gashirabake, the deputy Solicitor General, to apologise to her. She also wants to be reinstated to her job and be awarded damages.
Ms Mwesigye contends that Mr Gashirabake has sexually harassed her for the last 13 years and that this alleged habit started when she was on clerkship as a student.
She claims that Mr Gashirabake engaged in verbal abuse and behaviour that was directed at isolating or humiliating her thereby preventing her from engaging in normal activities and constructively terminating her employment.
Ms Mwesigye in her petition claims that while assigning her duties, Mr Gashirabake continuously attached notes that carried language of sexual nature.
“The 2nd respondent (Mr Gashirabake) continuously sent the claimant (Ms Mwesigye) messages via platforms such as WhatsApp that contained unwelcome flirtations language for example one that read ‘Love U’, which made the claimant uncomfortable at the place of work and in the course of execution of her duties,” she states
Ms Mwesigye alleges that at one occasion, when she had just returned from leave, Mr Gashirabake allegedly confessed to have missed her and that he went ahead to push his swivel chair and showed her the expanse of his groin.
“The claimant with much effort tried to convince the 2nd respondent (Mr Gashirabake) that his requests for sexual relationship amounted to sexual harassment and were creating a hostile, intimidating and offensive environment at work and in the personal life of the claimant but the 2nd respondent refused to stop the sexual requests,” court documents add.
Credit: Source link
