Attorney General asks Katopola to repay salary, benefits

The Attorney General (AG) has asked Clerk of Parliament Matilda Katopola to reimburse all benefits she received while absconding from duties, records at the Industrial Relations Court in Lilongwe say.

The records, however, do not indicate the amount of money she is supposed to reimburse the government.

Katopola, who has reportedly been absconding duties on grounds of constructive dismissal, is alleged to have been demanding her benefits from Parliament.

The reliefs sought by the government on the matter are a declaration that the applicant reimburses all benefits she received while absconding from duties.

“A declaration that the applicant has absconded her duties for continuing to refuse to report for duties after duly requested to do so by the respondent,” it stated.

The third relief is for the court to dismiss the claims of Katopola in their entirety.

Katopola’s statement of claim filed at the Industrial Relations Court show that she dragged the government to court for constructive dismissal, unfair dismissal and unfair labour practices.

However, the government denies the claim that it fired Katopola.

“The respondent denies the applicant’s claim as pleaded for constructive dismissal, unfair dismissal and unfair labour practices or any breaches of labour laws or the constitution and puts the applicant to strict proof thereof,” the document states.

Katopola’s lawyer Kalekeni Kaphale said he was still going through the files.

The government believes that Katopola has absconded her duties for no good reason by failing to report for work.

The Clerk of Parliament went on compulsory leave in July this year without being told the reasons, a development that forced her to drag the government to court for unfair dismissal.