Game Stores frontline manager was too shocked to do anything about sexual abuse

GAME Stores Zambia, frontline manager, Tendai Mhango has told the court that she was shocked to hear that Game Stores manager, Maduramuthoo Mare Palan was sexually abusing a female employee by reaching under the skirt to touch her thighs.
Meanwhile Ms Mhango testified that Mukamuluti Mwila was the first female employee she saw working from the storeroom from the time she joined Game Stores in 1999.
Palan is charged with unlawful indecent assault and sexual harassment of Ms Mwila between June 1, 2013 and July 31 2014.
She said that she failed to take any action after Ms Mwila told her that she was being sexually abused by Palan because she was shocked and that the issue was too sensitive.

Ms Mhango told Principal Magistrate Aridah Chulu yesterday during continued trial that Ms Mwila was working as a casual cashier under her supervision.
She said that in June 2014, Palan personally asked her to direct Ms Mwila to go and assist in the preparation of an office upstairs because the company was preparing for audits.
Ms Mhango said that Palan did not follow the procedure of informing her two deputy administration managers but communicated directly to her.
She said that during the time she was working upstairs Ms Mwila was always hesitant to go and work upstairs and this prompted her to query her behaviour.

It was at this point that Ms Mwila narrated her ordeal at the hands of Palan, stating that he had allegedly been touching her inappropriately.
Ms Mhango said, “I did not do anything about it because when she told me that it was true I was shocked. Basically I could not do anything about it because it was a sensitive matter”.
She further told the court that she was later told by one of the deputy administrative managers to send Ms Mwila on a one month leave as per instruction by Palan.
Ms Mhango, however, admitted during cross examination that Palan never signed any of Ms Mwila’s contracts contrary to what she had earlier told the court.
Trial continues.

Times of Zambia