Acting Inspector General of Police Gilbert Masengeli has been sentenced to six months in prison for contempt of court after repeatedly ignoring summonses. Justice Lawrence Mugambi delivered the ruling on Friday, citing Masengeli’s failure to attend court proceedings seven times in relation to a case involving the disappearance of three individuals allegedly abducted by police during anti-government protests.
Masengeli had been summoned to explain the whereabouts of Jamil Longton, Aslam Longton, and activist Bob Njagi, who went missing during Gen Z-led protests on August 19, 2024. The Acting IG continuously failed to respond to the court’s requests for an explanation, prompting the judge to issue the contempt ruling.
Justice Mugambi, however, granted Masengeli a seven-day grace period to avoid imprisonment by complying with the court order. “This sentence is a coercive measure rather than a punitive one,” said Mugambi. “Masengeli can redeem himself by appearing in person before the court to address the issues he has been avoiding.”
Should Masengeli fail to comply within the given period, the sentence will automatically take effect. The court also directed the Cabinet Secretary for Interior to enforce the prison sentence if Masengeli does not surrender to the Commissioner General of Prisons to begin serving his term.
