Ralph Mupita, the Chief Executive Officer of MTN, has been exonerated from accusations of favoritism towards an unidentified female executive following a thorough inquiry by an autonomous legal firm.
The allegations of misconduct, which were initially brought forth by an unnamed whistleblower, gained significant media attention earlier in the week. The situation escalated to the point where it was rumored that multiple high-ranking officials within the company were considering stepping down in protest.
One specific claim against Mupita was that he had inappropriately reassigned the duties of the CEO of MTN South Africa to the female executive in question.
However, the investigative process, which was aimed at uncovering any instances of wrongdoing, concluded that there was no substantiating evidence to support the claims of misconduct. Despite efforts to communicate with the individual who lodged the complaint, no fruitful interaction was established, as per MTN’s official communication on Friday.
The board of directors reviewed the findings of the report and agreed with its conclusions, thereby considering the issue to be resolved and the case closed. The board also publicly reaffirmed its unwavering support for Mupita as the Group Chief Executive Officer and endorsed the strategic direction of MTN.
This resolution comes as a significant relief to Mupita, who faced intense scrutiny over the allegations that cast doubt on the integrity of corporate governance within MTN, which is recognized as the largest telecommunications operator in Africa. On Tuesday, in response to the controversy, Mupita reassured the company’s workforce of MTN’s commitment to robust governance practices designed to address any such concerns.
Additionally, it has been reported that Mupita received backing from ten out of the fifteen members of the company’s executive team amidst the fallout from the allegations.
Since 2021, there has been a notable turnover of senior executives at MTN’s South African branch. This includes the departures of Charles Molapisi and Godfrey Motsa, both of whom served as CEOs, as well as Giovanni Chiarelli, the Chief Technology Officer; Marco Gagiano, the Chief Strategy Officer; Phillip Besiimire, the Chief Sales and Regional Operations Officer; Michele Gamberini, the Chief Technology and Information Officer; and Jacqui O’Sullivan, the Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer.
