A family is seeking justice after their son died at work at a Thika-based company.
The family of Caleb Otieno who died after falling into a vat of molten steel threatened to sue the employer over the compensation that they were offered.
According to the family, the company informed them that they will be paid Ksh7,000 monthly and this would translate to Ksh420,000 in total for the number of months remaining in Otieno's contract.
Otieno's father told the Nation that he was offered Ksh100,000 when he asked about compensation.
"The HR manager told me that they would compensate me with a third of Ksh21,000 that my son was earning per month for the five years he worked as a permanent employee," Martin Oraro stated.
“After I was informed my son had died, I travelled all the way from Kisumu to Thika. I met the management of the company where my son was working.
"I was accompanied by my family members and in the meeting was the human resources manager of the company, the managing director, and the Thika DCIO Joseph Thuvi," he added.
Oraro termed the compensation offer by the company as a scorn to the family. He pointed out that the company did not take into account the horrific manner Otieno died.
During the meeting, Oraro stated that the company committed to giving all employees insurance cover for accidents at their place of work.
Police have not yet revealed how Otieno ended up in the boiler, where his body was completely liquefied.
Thika West Director of Criminal investigations Joseph Thuvi confirmed that an autopsy of the deceased would still be conducted.
The family will be burying a few of his remains that were retrieved from the boiler. He will be buried at his father’s home in Kisumu West on Saturday, April 9.
