THE Zanzibar Labour Commission has suspended the work permit and passport of a foreign national facing allegations of sexual harassment against female employees at his organisation, pending the completion of a thorough investigation.

The accused, Antony Patro, vice-chairperson of the non-governmental organisation OCS Social Foundation, is alleged to have forced two of his female employees to perform tasks contrary to Zanzibari cultural norms and workplace ethics.

Speaking to journalists after receiving the complaints, Zanzibar Labour Commissioner Rashid Khamis Othman emphasised that sexual harassment in the workplace is unacceptable under any circumstances and that the government will not overlook such behavior if proven.

“The initial steps have already been taken, including the suspension of the suspect’s work permit and passport, to facilitate the ongoing investigation into these allegations,” Commissioner Rashid said.

He stressed that if the investigation confirms the allegations, strict legal action will be taken without bias or favoritism against any individual involved in the case.

The female employees, who are from the same family and preferred to remain anonymous, reported that they were hired to perform office cleaning duties, but were allegedly forced to engage in tasks that violated their personal and cultural ethics. Among these tasks, they claimed they were compelled to massage their employer while he was unclothed, which they said contradicted employment agreements and labor laws.

“Each of us is assigned a specific day and time and is forced to perform massages on him without clothing. This is against labour laws and workplace regulations,” they said.

They further reported that these acts were accompanied by psychological abuse, inappropriate language, and threats, creating a climate of fear every time they went to work. Moreover, despite being employed as cleaning staff, they were not provided with employment contracts, depriving them of legal protection and making it difficult to assert their rights when abused.

In response to the allegations, Antony Patro strongly denied all claims, insisting they were false and that the employees were trying to tarnish his reputation. He maintained that he could not engage in such acts with the people he supervises at work.

Meanwhile, Registrar of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Ahmed Khalid Abdulla, explained that his office is responsible for monitoring and ensuring that all registered NGOs operate according to the provisions of the NGO Act No. 6 of 1995.

He noted that the law requires all organisations to submit annual activity reports, and failure to comply could result in legal action, including the revocation of registration.

Ahmed Khalid confirmed that OCS Social Foundation, owned by the accused, was registered in 2024 to provide social services to the people of Zanzibar. He emphasized that failure to achieve this mandate may prompt the government to take decisive action.

According to the Zanzibar Office of the Chief Government Statistician, a total of 107 cases of abuse and sexual harassment were reported in November, representing an 8.1 percent increase compared to 99 cases in October 2025. Among the victims, the majority were women and children, with children accounting for 81.3 percent and women 17.8 percent.

The Labour Commissioner and other officials reiterated the government’s commitment to protecting workers, particularly women and children, from abuse, ensuring that workplaces are safe and that perpetrators are held accountable according to the law. This case highlights the urgent need for stricter oversight of NGOs and other institutions to safeguard employees and uphold ethical standards in Zanzibar’s workforce.