The Africa Centre is accusing its former executive director of sexually harassing, bullying and discriminating against his staff.
And board members who fired Tesfaye Ayalew last year say a third-party investigation that previously exonerated him was flawed.
Those allegations are contained in a statement of defence filed on Aug. 20, 2018 by the Council for the Advancement of African Canadians in Alberta (CAAC).
“The plaintiff had in fact bullied, harassed, sexually harassed, discriminated against, and otherwise mistreated subordinate employees of the defendant,” the court document states. “The plaintiff’s conduct was ongoing and egregious.”
Ayalew has denied the allegations. He is suing the CAAC, which operates the Africa Centre in northeast Edmonton and offers employment, family and educational services to the city’s African communities.
In January 2018, Ayalew, who co-founded the Africa Centre, was placed on paid administrative leave after a former employee made the allegations of misconduct.
CAAC commissioned an independent third-party investigation that exonerated Ayalew, but he was still fired.
Last June, Ayalew filed a lawsuit for more than $365,000, accusing CAAC of wrongful dismissal.
‘Callous and high-handed behavior’
According to the lawsuit, the investigation found the initial complaint was based on unsubstantiated allegations by a former employee driven by dislike for Ayalew.
His claim accuses CAAC of engaging in “callous and high-handed behavior” regarding his termination. It says CAAC lied when it told media outlets that three other women had come forward with complaints.
But CAAC denies all allegations in its statement of defence and dismisses the report conducted by Arman Chak who declined comment. The centre has never released the report.
“The investigator wrongly stated to the board of directors of the defendant that the plaintiff was not guilty of any significant wrongdoing,” states CAAC’s statement of defence.
CAAC has filed a counterclaim seeking $18,591.80 which was paid out to Ayalew in severance, plus $2,000 for a laptop computer, arguing the additional information showed there was just cause to dismiss Ayalew.
Both parties reject the allegations against them and nothing has been proven in court.