Nairobi, June 15 -- The court has faulted multinational tea producer Ekaterra Tea Kenya over what it described as a humiliating and physically intrusive search of a female employee accused of stealing a packet of milk, ruling that her dismissal after 26 years of service was unfair.

The Employment and Labour Relations Court said the company failed to prove that Ms BW, a quality analysis clerk at Limuru Tea Estate, had stolen company property. Her name is being withheld for legal reasons.

In its ruling, the court said the allegations against the employee were unsupported by evidence and criticised the manner in which the investigation was conducted.

"The court notes that the respondent... subjected the grievant to a search... an act the ...