The Registrar of Trade Unions Beatrice Mathenge has been sentenced to one-month jail for contempt.
In the judgement delivered on Friday by Employment and Labour Relations Court Judge Byram Ongaya, Mathenge was also given the alternative of paying a Sh100,000 fine.
Mathenge was found guilty of ignoring court orders in a case filed by the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU).
Justice Ongaya observed that despite being aware of the orders directing her to register KMPDU officials following their elections, Mathenge failed to do so.
"The court has found her in contempt of court. The court has taken into account all the circumstances of the case and imposes a sentence of payment of a fine of Sh100,000.00 forthwith and in default, the contemnor be imprisoned for a term of 30 days," the court ruling reads.
In the case, an affidavit by KMPDU Secretary General Davji Atellah, the court heard that the officials were duly elected on June 11, 2022, and proceeded to communicate the same to Mathenge to facilitate registration.
This was on June 13, 2022, but the Registrar failed to comply, prompting KMPDU to move to court.
The court issued the orders on February 10, 2023, and Mathenge was notified of the same.
She, however, did not follow the orders despite the union writing numerously.
In March 2023, KMPDU filed for contempt against the Registrar and sought that she be committed to a civil jail for six months for the offence.
In August, Justice Ongaya issued directives for Mathenge to appear before the court on September 25, and show compliance for the earlier orders or risk sentencing for contempt.
On October 25, She was found guilty of contempt of court orders and the court issued a warrant of arrest.
