Courts / Ireland / Report

Cleaning supervisor who said he was falsely accused of sex harassment wins job back

Summary

In February 2023, Nkemka Patrick Okachi, a supervisor at Sodexo Ireland Ltd, was dismissed after a client‑company receptionist alleged sexual harassment. The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) found Sodexo had breached the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977 by relying on flawed procedures and hearsay evidence, noting that none of the senior managers who made decisions had seen the CCTV footage of the incident. Okachi claimed he had not seen the woman since before the pandemic, that their conversation was jovial, and that he had only given a one‑shoulder hug because she was in gym clothing. He denied any sexual intent. The WRC ruled the dismissal was unfair, ordered his reinstatement on the same terms as before, and highlighted the lack of objective evidence and the client's refusal to provide CCTV as serious procedural failures. The decision was made in a hearing held in February 2025.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Cleaning supervisor who said he was falsely accused of sex harassment wins job back. Procedural stage: charge_or_pretrial

When:

• February 2023 Hearing Or Sentence
• 11 January Incident
• January 12th 2023 Other
• 2025-02-11 Publication

Why: " This was "even more significant" for accusations like the one Mr Okachi faced because of the "lasting impact" it could have on his reputation," she added. CNI source report

Case subjects

Topics

Stage Charge Or Pretrial

Read the original CNI report