A FORMER Game Stores Zambia employee yesterday broke down in court as she narrated how her boss, Maduramuthoo Mare Palan allegedly sexually harassed her and mistreated her before she was dismissed.Mukamuluti Mwila, 23, told principal magistrate Aridah Chuulu when she opened trial in a matter in which Palan is facing two counts of indecent assault and sexual abuse, that Palan sexually abused her on more than three occasions.
This is in a matter in which Palan, 46, of house number 8, Mass Media, is in the first account alleged to have between June 1, 2013 and July 31 this year unlawfully and indecently assaulted Ms Mwila.
Palan is in the second count alleged to have practiced sexual harassment which caused discomfort on Ms Mwila, who was at the time an employee at Game Stores Manda Hill in Lusaka.
She told the court that at one point, Palan told her that he wanted to ‘visit’ her under her pants, but that in a bid to discourage him, Ms Mwila told him that she could not do that because she had thrush on her private parts.
Ms Mwila said she felt humiliated and uncomfortable with Palan’s sexual advances towards her and did not know what to do.
She told the court that she finally managed to report the matter to union leaders at Game Stores and copied her sexual harassment complaints to the ministries of Labour and Youth and Sports.
Ms Mwila told the court in her testimony, which lasted for more than an hour, that she started working for a company called RCA Marketing as a Food. Co. promoter under Game Stores on a contract basis but after it expired, she started working as a casual in Game Stores.
She said that one day in 2013, Palan asked her to go to his office, which was upstairs, so that he could show her how to draw up a schedule for the Food. Co. promotion.
Ms Mwila said that while in the sales manager’s office, as he was showing her how to draw the schedule, Palan pushed his hands into her uniform skirt and started touching her thighs.
She said that this came as a surprise and she was upset because she did not expect that from him.
Ms Mwila alleged that while she continued working as a casual worker and was walking along the corridors upstairs, one day Palan came from behind and squeezed her buttocks.
On another occasion, while she was in the office with a male workmate, Palan allegedly feigned hitting her and when she covered her face, he started squeezing her breasts.
She told the court that on another occasion while she was working as a cashier at the till, Palan called her to his office and told her that he wanted to have sex but she told him that she had thrush, as a way of discouraging him.
Ms Mwila said that thereafter, Palan made her life hell as he allegedly started mistreating her to the extent of making her work in the store room for jobs suited for men.
She said she was sent away from work by her immediate supervisor Tandai Mhango, the front-line manager who informed her that Palan did not want to see her around.
Ms Mwila said she was surprised that out of all the many casual workers, she was the only one who was supervised by Palan and that at some point, he instructed her workmates to ensure that Ms Mwila got permission even when going to the toilet.
She broke down at this point as she recalled that she often cried during those periods because she had no idea why she was subjected to mistreatment.
Trial continues on September 11, 2014 when Ms Mwila will be cross-examined by Palan’s defence lawyers from Eric Silwamba, Jalasi and Linyama Legal Practitioners.