Oil palm environment officer dismissed for allegedly sharing employer contacts

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Oil Palm Uganda Limited has dismissed the company Environment Officer, Richard Ssenkooza for allegedly sharing employer’s contacts with journalists.    

Oil Palm Uganda Limited is a subsidiary of Bidco Uganda Limited – BUL and Wilmar International, the largest palm oil growing firm in Africa. Ssenkooza’s fate was sealed by Sardin Damanik, the General Estates Manager of Oil Palm Uganda Limited and Human Resource Manager, Abbey Mukalu.   

His dismissal follows a suspension for more than two weeks. Damanik blames Ssenkooza for sharing the contacts of the company top bosses with journalists and obtained sensitive company documents, which purportedly pose a risk to the company operations.

“Your actions tantamount to willful negligence, carelessness and thus violate company staff terms and conditions of service, which govern your employment. This is gross misconduct on your part and therefore, it has been decided that you be and you are hereby dismissed from company employment fourth with,” read Ssenkooza’s dismissal letter.

In May this year, a search was conducted on all company computers at Oil Palm Uganda Limited to establish the source of leaked company audit report, which exposed the theft of more than Shillings 5.3 billion from the company.

The evidence ascertained by police investigations in Kalangala implicates Mukalu Abbey as the prime suspect in the audit report leak. However, Mukalu counter accuses other staff including the Estates manager, Sunday Ochola and Richard Ssenkooza for the leak. He suspended Ssenkooza to pave way for investigations.

The Criminal Investigations Department pins Mukalu Abbey and Damanik Sardin for searching company computers without obtaining court orders as required by law. “It was also illegal for people under investigations to start terminating other staff even before investigations are complete.” 

A report by police to Simon Subrat, the Manager Wilmar International states. The developments come at a time when the company is accused of undermining palm oil out growers and none payment for palm oil fruits, according to the available pricing formula.     

A kilogram of Palm oil supposed to be Shillings 833, according to the current pricing formula is being bought at Shillings 473. Alex Kasavu, a member of the pricing committee is meant to allow the company recovers Shillings 5.3 billion that was swindled by the then company finance Controller, Janadhan Naidhu in 2018.

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