FMB loses dismissal case

Nowhere to run to! The Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal on Friday upheld decisions by two lower courts that ordered First Merchant Bank (FMB) to pay 14 employees it illegally fired in 2012.
Following the latest ruling, FMB is expected to pay billions of kwacha once determinations have been made.
The Industrial Relations Court (IRC) first determined that the bank erred in retrenching the employees without notice and ordered some compensation.
But unsatisfied with the IRC’s ruling, FMB— which was being represented by lawyer Modecai Msisha— appealed at the High Court in Lilongwe against the judgement.
Justice Fiona Mwale heard the appeal at the High Court and in her judgement, she upheld IRC’s verdict that required the bank to pay compensations to the fired employees.
FMB, still in denial and to avoid coughing the billions of kwacha, engaged the Supreme Court of Appeal.
But reality finally caught up with the bank— listed on the Malawi Stock Exchange (MSE) — when a three-member judge panel of Frank Kapanda, Anaclet Chipeta and Lovemore Chikopa dismissed the final appeal.
The bank fired 19 employees without notice, but only 14 dragged the bank to court.
One axed employee, who was among those that sued, died in the process of the protracted court battle.n