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Ex-PCL executives case assessment hearing concludes

The Industrial Relations Court (IRC) on Friday concluded hearing of  assessment of compensation in the case in which three former Press Corporation Limited (PCL) executives want K33 billion for unfair dismissal.

In the matter, the claimants are former group chief executive officer George Partridge, former company secretary Bernard Ndau and former group financial controller Elizabeth Mafeni.

Partridge (R) and Mpaka at the court.

Following the conclusion of the hearing, IRC deputy chairperson Tamanda Nyimba is expected to analyse the submissions of the two parties before delivering his ruling on compensation.

“Both parties have 21 days to file their written submissions,” he said in court.

During Friday’s proceedings, PCL paraded its witness Moureen Mbeye, who is PCL chief finance and administration executive and company secretary.

In cross-examination by the applicants’ lawyer John Suzi Banda, she told the court that the terminal dues the applicants received from PCL were not compensation for wrongful dismissal.

Upon her dismissal in December 2021, Mafeni received K481 million, Partridge took home K452 million and Ndau was paid K179 million as terminal dues.

During re-examination by PCL lawyer Patrick Mpaka, Mbeye said the applicants did not suffer loss following their dismissal and were duly paid their terminal dues.

The assessment proceedings started on December 19 2024 when Mpaka,  who is also Malawi Law Society president,  cross-examined Partridge and Mafeni.

Partridge, Mafeni and Ndau were dismissed in December 2021 following a functional review initiated by the PCL board and conducted by a consultant.

In his ruling on October 22 2024, Nyimba found that while consultations were supposed to be done during the functional review, the applicants were not consulted and were not offered options for lower salaries or redeployment to lower positions.

Following the ruling, the three applicants filed a claim of K33 billion compensation with K6.3 billion for Ndau, K19.4 billion for Mafeni and K7.4 billion for Partridge.

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