My Betrayal Cost My Friend His Job

By Selipha Kihagi

Have you found yourself in a difficult position where you are the reason someone else is suffering or in this case, someone was fired from their job? And not just someone, your close friend.

Janet Kyalo is the reason her close friend and former Head of Procurement at her workplace was sent packing, and is now being consumed by guilt.
She tells her story.

How I Betrayed My Friend

“I had been job searching for a while – 2 years to be precise, but without any luck. Prior to being jobless at the time, I was among those laid off from my former company so getting a job was really heard.

One day a close friend told me there was an opportunity at his company and since he was manager, he had put in a good word for me. I was called for an interview and 2 weeks later I had the job.”

The Betrayal

“Getting that job was a dream come true for me and I was extremely grateful to my friend. The fact that he was now my direct boss in the Procurement department made it easier to prove my determination.

In the job, I am required to work with a team most of the time. My team leader is always the one handling the money dispatched to us by the Head of Procurement (read my friend), and he decides how it’s used. So, when I stopped being the new chic in the team, I was let in on the little secrets. Among them, that I could make money from these purchases if I didn’t say a word.

At first I was against it, but when a project presented the opportunity of me getting KSh20, 000, off the books, I thought Why not? After all, these team members have been with the company a long time and have not been caught.

I didn’t see any harm not telling my friend, he may have also cashed in on it – or so I thought. About 3 months later, when the money was spent on shoes, bags and nice clothes, word in the department was that the Head of Procurement was being investigated about the project.

I was worried for him but I also knew that if I told him how the money was spent, I would lose my job. So being the selfish Me, I kept quiet to keep my job. Since my friend could not come up with a good explanation and the team leader had lied about the amount given to him, he was fired.

He’s now jobless and frustrated 4 months later. He still asks if I knew or suspected anything, so I can clear his name but I’m still lying.

The guilt I now feel is growing every day and I don’t know what to do? I can’t lose my job again.”

What is your advice to Janet?

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