THE Supreme Court has handed down a scathing two-year suspension to a senior law partner after he was accused of sexually harassing a junior associate lawyer.
The respondent is charged with a range of disturbing behavior, including toilet humour, inappropriate personal questions about her love life, and even for his claim that “he would have fallen for her if they were of the same age.”
The SC found that, as a senior partner, the respondent should have known that junior associates look up to him for guidance and support.
However, the high court said that he breached their trust by engaging in reprehensible conduct that constituted sexual harassment.
Even worse, he tried to deny his administrative liability by claiming he was “misinterpreted” and “taken out of context.”
“The respondent’s actions created an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment for the complainant, who was forced to seek psychotherapy treatment as a result. Despite some self-awareness, the respondent persisted in his inappropriate behavior, demonstrating an indifferent and impervious attitude to the complainant’s feelings, ” the SC said.
” Given the gravity and frequency of the respondent’s misconduct, the degree of his moral influence and ascendancy, and the effect of his actions on the complainant, the Court imposed a severe penalty of suspension from the practice of law for two years. No apologies can erase the emotional toll that the respondent’s improper acts have inflicted on his victim, ” it added
