LTS founder in court over removal as chairman
The founder of Leonardo Technologies & Services Limited (LTS Ltd) has moved to court challenging his removal as chairman and managing director, arguing that the company’s actions violated his constitutional rights and were procedurally unfair.
Iovino Domenico, an Italian national, filed a petition at the High Court on February 23, seeking to quash the resolutions that ousted him from the board.
He also asked the court to declare that his removal was unlawful, unreasonable, and in breach of his right to fair administrative action under Article 47 of the Constitution.
According to the petition, Domenico served as founding director of LTS Ltd, which supplies advanced technology systems for air, land, sea, and cyberspace, and was later appointed chairman and managing director in April 2025.
The dispute began when he received a notice on January 28, convening an extraordinary general meeting for February 23, 2026, with the sole agenda of removing him under Section 139 of the Companies Act.
The petitioner contended that the notice was irregular, having been issued by a law firm that was not the company’s official secretary.
He also stated that he was never given any reasons for his proposed removal before the meeting was called.
When he requested an explanation, the parent company, Leonardo International S.p.A., responded with a dateless letter stating that his directorship was linked to his employment and secondment from Italy, which had ended on December 31, 2025, and that his removal was part of a succession plan tied to his upcoming retirement.
Domenico argues that the reasons were an afterthought and that the decision to remove him had been made in secret, without affording him a fair hearing.
He claimed the conduct of the company and its shareholder was malicious and undermined his dignity, legitimate expectations, and right to fair administrative action.
The meeting proceeded as scheduled on February 23, 2026, and a resolution was passed removing him from office.
A subsequent letter from Leonardo International S.p.A., dated March 24, 2026, and addressed to customers and suppliers, officially announced Kennedy Njoroge as the new executive chairman, succeeding Domenico in all his former roles.
Through his petition, Domenico sought several declarations, including that his rights under Articles 2 and 47 of the Constitution were violated, that the meeting notice and resolutions be quashed and that the court compels the company to retain him as a director.
He also asked for general and punitive damages, claiming the abrupt removal has caused him immense prejudice, mental torture, and financial loss amounting to Sh250 million.