Kenyan Tech Founder loses appeal against Flutterwave

Last Friday, a Kenyan court dismissed an appeal by Credrails CEO and tech founder Clara Wanjiku Odero against African fintech giant, Flutterwave. Odero, a former employee of Flutterwave, had sought in damages for emotional distress and reputational damage per Kenyan WallStreet and court documents seen by Bendada.com.

The dispute stemmed from Flutterwave's failure to remove Odero's contact information from its M-Pesa Paybill account after her departure from the company in 2018. This oversight resulted in Odero being continuously contacted by Flutterwave customers regarding company matters long after she left her role as Head of Implementation for Rest of Africa.

The Court of Appeal upheld the lower court's ruling, awarding Odero a significantly smaller sum of Ksh. 250,000 (approximately $2,000) compared to a larger sum she requested for as compensation. According to the report, Justice Alexander Muasya stated that the initial award was "reasonable" given the lack of evidence supporting Odero's claims of reputational damage.

Odero argued that Flutterwave's negligence caused her public embarrassment and emotional distress. This distress, she claimed, stemmed from the constant barrage of customer inquiries she received after leaving the company. These claims echo earlier allegations made by Odero in a 2022 Medium post where she accused Flutterwave CEO Olugbenga Agboola of bullying and harassment, stating;

“I have been constantly belittled, lied about, harassed, had my name tarnished and almost arrested because of Olugbenga Agboola, the CEO of Flutterwave, and I am calling time.”

Flutterwave, valued at over $3 billion, expressed regret over the incident and maintained its commitment to a safe and secure work environment. The company denied allegations of bullying by CEO Olugbenga Agboola.

Ultimately, the appellate court concluded that the damages awarded by the lower court were adequate for the emotional distress caused. Odero's appeal was dismissed, and Flutterwave was awarded the costs associated with the appeal.

This court decision appears to conclude the legal battle between Odero and Flutterwave, which began with Odero's departure from the company in 2018 and escalated with public accusations of bullying and harassment against Flutterwave's CEO.

The case underscores the importance of clear separation protocols for departing employees and the potential consequences of neglecting such procedures.

Editor's Note
This article was edited to retract the total sum Odero requested.