Stammering Trainee Police Officer Approaches Courts Challenging Unfair Dismissal
A trainee police officer, Vengai Chikurungeni, was discharged from the job after he was deemed unfit for policing duties for stammering.
The ex-constable has since approached the courts to appeal against Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) senior officials, and the appeal was squashed by the High Court for approaching the court late.
Chikurungeni, who was attached at Morris Depot, took police Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga and the Police Service Commission to court challenging unfair dismissal.
What happened:
Chikurungeni was undergoing training at Morris Depot.
In September 2021, he was called by Inspector Gwaka who told him that he was not fit to be a police officer since he was a stammerer.
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In October 2021, he was called by the Depot Commandant who asked if he was a stammer, and he confirmed that.
In December 2021, he was summoned by Dr Nyakudya who said that he wanted to examine if his condition would allow him to remain in the police service.
He was duly examined and told results will be communicated later.
On January 31 2022, Chikurungeni was called by Inspector Gwaka who gave him a letter of termination of employment which was “backdated or dated” 28th December 2021 and was asked to sign it.
He complied but later decided to challenge his employer’s decision to discharge him under the stated circumstances.
His employer opposed the application and said he was supposed to file his appeal within eight weeks from the day of his dismissal and did not seek condonation.
Chikurungeni denied that he was discharged in December 2021 and claimed that he was asked to sign a backdated document but could not provide proof.
Therefore, the application was dismissed for failure to comply with the Rules and the Chikurungeni was ordered to pay the costs of the suit on the ordinary scale.
