Tuskys suspends 16 Embakasi branch staff in crackdown on theft

Tuskys Supermarket has suspended 16 of its Embakasi branch staff, accusing them of stealing.

The workers have been working mainly at the bakery and dairy sections of the store. They were arrested and booked at the Embakasi Police Station and later released on a Sh1,000 bond each.

The staff who held a protest outside the branch denied the theft claims in an interview with the Business Daily.

“The 16 staff involved in pilferaging were captured on camera, which according to our policy is a criminal offence and that is why they were handed over to the authorities. It is not true that they were maliciously relieved of their duties,” said the Tuskys chief operating officer Peter Leparachao in response to our queries.

The workers said the suspension was suspicious, coming less than a week after a new group of employees was inducted into the branch as trainees and eventually took over their jobs. They said the new staff are outsourced from a firm called Artemis.

The employees said they were arrested by plain-clothed officers inside the Embakasi store and were later released pending their appearance in court on today to answer to charges of stealing by servant.

READ: Tuskys suspends 91 Beba Beba employees in goods theft scam

The Kenya Union of Commercial Food and Allied Workers Nairobi branch secretary Mike Orang told Business Daily that he had been informed of the suspensions by the affected employees.

He said the retail chain had not informed the union about the suspensions or the alleged theft.

“I’m aware that the unionised staff have been suspended and accused of theft and we are analysing the incident. We will pursue necessary avenues to ensure their rights are protected,” said Mr Orang.

Tuskys was this week ordered by the High Court to pay a Sh3 million award to a former employee whom it sacked over what it termed as gross misconduct.

Andrew Nderitu had worked for Tuskys for 13 years rising from a shop assistant to a branch manager but later retired on health grounds. Mr Nderitu told the court that the retailer accepted his resignation but later accused him of poor performance, gross misconduct and theft.

“The court finds that the letter alleging misconduct was irregular as it had no consequence because it came after the respondent had already accepted the claimant’s resignation thereby bringing the employment relationship to an end,” ruled Justice Ongaya.

Tuskys has also suspended 91 employees from its Beba Beba branch in Nairobi whom it also accuses of being involved in internal theft. The workers are accused of stealing from the store and later selling the items to external traders.