UPDATE: High court Judge Lawrence Mugambi has found Acting Police IG Gilbert Masengeli guilty of contempt of court. He will be sentenced Friday alongside police officer Lazarus Opicho.
Acting Inspector-General of Police Gilbert Masengeli has, for the record seventh time, failed to honour High Court summons to explain the whereabouts of three men who were abducted in Kitengela, Kajiado County.
After snubbing Justice Lawrence Mugambi back to back on Friday, both in the morning and in the afternoon, the judge gave the man charged with upholding and enforcing the rule of law the last chance— to appear on Monday.
Come Monday morning, and he was a no-show.
Reason? He was leading an operation in Wajir where there have been attacks on police stations, according to Chief State Counsel Charles Mutinda.
In a bid to comply with the court orders and escape the wrath of the judge, Mr Masengeli send his deputy (from his acting capacity) in charge of Kenya Police David Lagat to represent him in the proceedings.
Mr Mutinda, who accompanied Mr Langat, said there is no substantive inspector-general but the deputy could answer to the charges “accordingly”.
Mr Masengeli is required to explain the whereabouts of activist Robert Bob Njagi and brothers Jamil and Aslam Longton, who were abducted four weeks ago by persons believed to be police officers.
The three have not been seen since and efforts by their families and friends to find them dead or alive have been futile.
Mr Njagi was roughed up while riding on a matatu on Mombasa Road near Mlolongo while the Longtons were intercepted as they drove from their Kitengela home to attend a party in Kiserian.
Court must fine Masengeli for snub and deduct it from his salary, says former LSK President Havi
The Law Society of Kenya (LSK), which asked the judge not to allow Mr Lagat to address court, wants Mr Masengeli punished for repeated contempt of court.
On Monday, LSK president Faith Odhiambo asked the court to note that Mr Masengeli had not complied with the court order issued on August 23, 2024.
Ms Odhiambo also asked Justice Mugambi to note that the acting police boss had not attended court but found time to attend a show in Mombasa.
On Friday, LSK advocate Hosea Manwa told Justice Mugambi that the police boss has exhibited the highest level of disrespect to the court by failing to attend the proceedings to explain the whereabouts of the missing three.
“I urge this court to stamp its authority and cite the IG for contempt of court,” Mr Manwa submitted.
