Housing officer who was sacked for aggressive evangelising at work goes to employment tribunal

A man sacked by Wandsworth Council after he told a woman she was terminally ill because she didn’t believe in god is taking his case to tribunal.

Duke Amachree says the council banned him from saying ‘God bless’ and that he only spoke to the woman briefly to suggest that turning to God may help her. But the council denies this and says the woman was subjected to a half hour religious barrage by Amachree, during which time he told her that her lack of faith had caused her illness.

A source told a local paper: “Mr Amachree told her that she shouldn’t trust doctors and that only God could cure her. He also suggested that she watch a series of videos on miracles if she wanted to be cured.”

A council spokesman said: “We can confirm that following a disciplinary hearing into very serious allegations, a member of staff has been dismissed for gross misconduct. The hearing heard compelling and overwhelming evidence that the staff member gave wholly inappropriate, unprofessional and unacceptable advice to a member of the public, which caused great upset and distress. After the member of the public had complained about his conduct, the staff member disclosed sensitive personal information about that person to the media. It is also categorically untrue to suggest that this is about a member of staff saying ‘God bless’ or that the council has a policy banning employees from making references to God in the workplace.”

The statement refers to an interview Amachree gave to the Daily Mail, where he said he was told to leave his religion at the work place door and likened it to being told to leave your skin colour at the door. Amachree’s solicitor Michael Phillips said the council’s decision was “a clear manifestation of secular intolerance” and a breach of his human rights. The case will now go to an employment tribunal.