Former rector, govt in court over termination of contract

The government has appealed against a High Court decision for the former to pay damages to a former rector at the former Institute of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry (ISAE), after the latter was dismissed midway his four-year contract. High court had last year awarded Dr Charles Karemangingo Rwf24 million prompting the institution, which has since become part of the University of Rwanda, to lodge an appeal in the Supreme Court. Hired by the Ministry of Education back in 2007, Karemangingo was appointed rector of the institute for a four-year renewable contract, which was renewed once only to be terminated midway the second term, in 2012. Appearing before the Supreme Court on Tuesday, Karemangingo presented a letter he received in July 2012 suspending his duties over mismanagement and insubordination against the institute’s board of directors. However, the don contested the dismissal saying there was no sufficient evidence to prove the allegations, hence accusing the institution of breach of contract. After a two-year wait, the High Court ruled in favour of the former rector and averred that the government pays Rwf23.8 million in damages for illegal dismissal and pays the litigant’s legal charges. However, the government, through the University of Rwanda, decided to appeal on grounds that the lower court had disregarded part of the evidence presented. Through their lawyer Felix Ntaganda, the university said Karemangingo abused his office by recruiting and promoting two foreign workers without approval of the board. “There was ambiguity in contracts handed to foreign workers and these contracts were in contravention of standard recruitment procedures outlined in the general statute of public servants,” he told court. Meanwhile, Karemangingo also lodged an appeal saying that the damages awarded to him were not enough based on what he lost. Through his lawyer Jean Pierre Nkurunziza, he stated that his annual leave for three years and payments of the legal counsel were not appropriately calculated by the lower court. Karemangingo is currently working as the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture and Rural Development at INATEK, another public tertiary institution. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Former rector, govt in court over termination of contract