Rwanda Energy Corporation (RECO), the water and electricity utility formerly known as ELECTROGAZ, has been sued by a former employee for allegedly beingsacked illegally. David Biganiro who was sacked in 2006, won the case in the Kigali High Court in January this year and court ordered RECO to pay him over Rwf 9 million in damages but the body appealed. On Friday the Supreme Court approved the appeal made by the body even though Biganiro’s lawyer, Tharcisse Rusengo, had contested the appeal saying it was made late and thus not acceptable by law. However, since RECO was not notified in time that it had lost the case in the previous court, the Supreme Court found it right to accept its appeal. “We have found it justifiable to accept ELECTROGAZ’s appeal because it was not notified in time and it has the right to explain itself in this case. The trial begins October 5,” the Supreme Court Judge ruled on Friday. According to the judgement paper no. RAD 0075/07/HC/KIG, which The Sunday Times has seen, the Kigali High Court ordered the body to pay Biganiro, Rwf 9,314,168. The amount includes a fine for breach of contract, payment of overtime and illegal sacking. “I worked 184 hours of overtime in a month and in a day I worked over 6 hours. That was too much and against the law, my health was at stake, I pleaded with my employer but in vain,” Biganiro told The Sunday Times outside court. Meanwhile, a Nyarugunga sector resident, Jean Paul Gahaya, also won a case against the former ELECTROGAZ at the Supreme Court on the same day. The case concerned the loss of a cow which was electrocuted. Gahaya who represented his grandfather, the owner of the cow, had asked the High Court to order the corporation to pay him over Rwf 1million as compensation. “May Justice prevail in Rwanda. I had walked to almost every office including the Ombudsman’s office and almost lost hope,” Gahaya who could not contain his happiness said out side the court. Ends
