Acting inspector general of police Gilbert Masengeli has been sentenced to six months in prison for contempt of court.
High court judge Lawrence Mugambi on Friday issued the orders sentencing Masengeli to prison after the acting IG failed to honour summons to appear before the court.
The judge ordered the acting IG to surrender himself to the commissioner general of prisons to begin his sentencing and also asked cabinet secretary for interior Kithure Kindiki to ensure that Masengeli served the sentence.
Alternatively, the judge also asked the acting IG to present himself before court within seven days to avoid serving the six-month prison time.
“Gilbert Masengeli is sentenced to six months imprisonment. Masengeli is ordered to commit himself to the commissioner-general of prisons to ensure that he is committed to a prison facility to commence serving his sentence of the imprisonment imposed,” justice Mugambi ruled.
“In the event that he does not submit himself to the commissioner general of prisons, the cabinet secretary for interior must make sure that all steps that are necessary and permissible in law are taken to ensure that Masengeli is committed to prison to commence serving the sentence imposed on him,” the judge added.
The sentencing follows the conviction of Masengeli for contempt of court after he failed to honour summons to appear before the court at least six times.
Justice Mugambi, in an earlier ruling convicting the acting IG, accused Masengeli of failing to abide by the Constitution as a state officer.
“It is the responsibility of the court to restore public confidence with the courts. IG may be removed from office if proven that he undermines the constitution,” Justice Mugambi said.
Masengeli’s no-show came despite his request that he be granted an extension to appear before the judge as he was on official duty in Mombasa.
The petitioners in the case, through lawyer Nelson Havi, questioned how long the court will allow the acting IG to ignore court summons at his will and even send his deputy to appear on his behalf.
Havi proposed that due to his brazen defiance, Masengeli should be convicted and ousted from office.
“At the end of this, we will ask the court to do two fundamental things; to convict the acting IG for contempt of court and to sentence him to the highest permissible legal consequence,” he said.
Masengeli is expected to explain the whereabouts of three individuals Jamil Longton, his brother Aslam Longton, and activist Bob Njagi, who were reportedly abducted by individuals believed to be police officers on August 19, 2024, amid the Gen Z protests.
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