Safaricom may be compelled to compensate a former employee who allegedly lost his hearing capacity due to the nature of his work. A High Court judge has allowed Mr Cyrus Machini to sue the leading mobile network operator after a medical assessment report from the Health ministry confirmed that he lost his ability to hear following prolonged use of headphones.

Mr Machini moved to court seeking leave to file the suit out of time as the cause of action arose in 2008 when he worked at the company’s customer care centre. He was given the nod to lodge the suit and seek remedy from his former employer. He told the court that due to the nature of his work, he spent long hours wearing headphones which exposed him to high sound volumes, damaging his ears. “I find that Mr Machini’s application...has merit and it is hereby granted as prayed,” Lady Justice Lucy Njuguna said.