SBM Ordered to Pay Rs 88 Million to Former Head of Accounting & Finance

In a significant ruling, the State Bank of Mauritius (SBM) has been ordered to pay Rs 88,194,796.90 to Chandradev Appadoo, its former head of accounting and finance, following a decision regarding his unjust dismissal. Appadoo was terminated prematurely in December 2017 after a controversial land deal that took place on August 6, 2014.

His dismissal was part of a larger issue that also saw the suspension of two other executives.

Appadoo had been with the SBM since June 1980 and claimed that his termination on December 4, 2017, was unlawful.

He filed a claim for severance pay against the bank in the Industrial Court, arguing that his longstanding employment entitled him to compensation.

On May 15, 2023, the Industrial Court ruled in favor of Appadoo, confirming that his dismissal violated workers’ rights legislation.

However, the court limited the duration of his claim to the period from 2012 to 2017, which resulted in a reduced award of Rs 9,900,165.15.

Dissatisfied with this outcome, Appadoo appealed the ruling. In a judgment delivered yesterday, Judges Véronique Kwok and Denis Mootoo overturned the prior decision of the Industrial Court, reinstating Appadoo’s original claim and directing SBM to pay the full amount of Rs 88,194,796.90.

This ruling highlighted the ongoing legal complexities and ramifications surrounding employment rights and wrongful termination cases in Mauritius.

Source: l”Express