A week after managers and supervisors in two tea multinationals – James Finlay and Ekaterra (formerly Unilever) – were exposed for preying on female workers and job seekers, the victims are yet to come out and record statements with the police.
The managers have also not been summoned to appear before the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) over the matter that has since assumed an international dimension.
The four managers implicated in the 49-minute BBC Africa Eye documentary that ran on February 20, have since gone underground after being suspended by the multinationals.
The Director of Public Prosecutions has since advised the DCI to investigate the issue.
“This matter is being handled by the CID, but none of the victims have come forward so far to record statements which would be used against the suspects in the course of the investigations, arrests and prosecution,” according to Kericho County senior police officer
A majority of the workers in the tea estates said they had not been interviewed by the police.
“We are not aware of any statements that have been taken from the victims or colleagues,” a worker at Ekaterra company said, a statement echoed by others at James Finlay.
Sexual exploitation and human rights abuses have for decades thrived in the tea industry with women workers being the greatest victims.
