Kenya Inspector General Of Police Jailed 6 Months For Contempt Of Court ~ OsazuwaAkonedo
Kenya Inspector General Of Police Jailed 6 Months For Contempt Of Court ~ OsazuwaAkonedo #Aranduh #Gilbert #Igp #Kajiado #Kenya #Kindiki #Kithure #Lawrence #Masengali #Mugambi #Nairobi #Patrick #Police https://osazuwaakonedo.news/kenya-inspector-general-of-police-jailed-6-months-for-contempt-of-court/14/09/2024/ #Issues Published: September 14th, 2024 Reshared: September 14, 2024 2:10 pm Kenya acting Inspector General of Police, Gilbert Masengeli has been sentenced to
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00:00Kenya Acting Inspector General of Police Gilbert Massengeli has been sentenced to six months'
00:06imprisonment for failing to honour seven court summons over the disappearance of some persons.
00:12Local media also reported that the Acting Inspector General of Police Gilbert Massengeli
00:18may have urgently applied to the court to overturn his conviction and suspend its intended
00:23sentences for failing to comply with court orders regarding the disappearance of three
00:27men in Kajiado County.
00:30It was gathered that Massengeli also missed court hearings on September 5th and 9th, 2024,
00:37citing urgent security operations as the reason for his absence.
00:42He reportedly claimed to have been engaged in critical responses to militia attacks and
00:47other threats which required his immediate attention.
00:50Days before he was sentenced, Gilbert Massengeli in an interview with some journalists, Gilbert
00:57Massengeli calls for respect for the rule of law, but declined to respond to his disobedience
01:03to court summons on the ground that he cannot comment on a matter already before a court.
01:09The court ordered the Acting Inspector General of Police Gilbert Massengeli to surrender
01:14himself to the Commissioner General of Prisons, Patrick Arandu.
01:19The High Court judge, Justice Lawrence Mugambi, directed the Kenya Interior Minister, Kito
01:25Kimiki, to take necessary measures to ensure his commitment to prison should Massengeli
01:30fail to comply with the surrender order.
01:33Reports from Kenya on Friday after the court ruling suggested that the Acting Inspector
01:38General of Police Gilbert Massengeli may be on the tide as he was seen on photographs
01:43conducting his regular duties hours after court sentenced him to six months in prison
01:48for contempt.
01:50He officiated the closing ceremony of the South County Police Commander's SCPC course
01:56at the National Police Leadership Academy, NPLA, in Angon.
02:01National Police Service of Kenya in a news release stated that the Acting IG, Gilbert
02:07Massengeli, today, September 13, 2024, made an impromptu visit at the NPSK-9 unit headquarters
02:15in Langata, Nairobi.
02:17He was accompanied by DKPS Eliud Lagat.
02:21The K-9 unit is charged with the care, training and breeding of NPS dogs, also known in police
02:28telegraphic address as four dogs.
02:32Massengeli was given a tour of the dog kennels by IP David Onala, before he witnessed a training
02:37demonstration where the K-9 and their handlers showcased their expertise in dog handling
02:42to detect narcotics, explosives and effect an arrest.
02:47In his address, Massengeli commended the K-9 officers for their dedication to duty,
02:53reiterated that K-9 unit plays an integral role in the safety of our country.
02:58His sentiments echoed those of DKPS Eliud Lagat who appreciated the officers for their
03:03being passionate about their work.
03:06The Acting IG was accompanied by NPS spokesperson, Dr. Resila Onyango, AIG, the Commandant's
03:15National Police Service Leadership Academy, Kaida Mateu, Commandant of the K-9 unit, Dr.
03:22Gideon Angumi, AIG, event doctor by profession, deputized by KIPTP's Chairman.
03:29The presiding judge has also suspended the sentence for seven days to give Gilbert Massengeli,
03:35the Acting Inspector General of Police, a final chance to appear in court before having
03:41to report to jail.
03:43It was learned that the police chief repeatedly defied orders to testify about the whereabouts
03:48of three men allegedly abducted by police officers.
03:52The case stems from a lawsuit by the country's member association, the Law Society of Kenya,
03:59which is seeking a court order for the release of three men who it said were taken by the
04:03police in August and have not been held from since.
04:07The three were outspoken on social media platforms in support of mass anti-government protests
04:13in June and July.
04:15Human rights activists said dozens of people involved in the protests were abducted by
04:20state agents and held incommunicado.
04:24Most were subsequently released.
04:27President William Ruto has promised to look into these accusations, although he has broadly
04:32defended the conduct of state security services during the protests.
04:37Judge Lawrence Mugambi had asked Massengeli to appear in court seven times to provide
04:42the whereabouts of the three, but Massengeli never did.
04:46In the event that he does not submit himself to the Commissioner General of Prisons, the
04:52Minister of Interior must take all steps that are necessary and permissible in law to ensure
04:57that Gilbert Massengeli is committed to prison, Mugambi was quoted by Ruto's.
05:04Police spokeswoman Resila Onyango did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
05:10Massengeli's lawyers, in a presentation dated Thursday, asked the judge to suspend his contempt
05:16verdict and said attempts to locate the three men were ongoing.
05:34In the event that he does not submit himself to the Commissioner General of Prisons, the
05:42Cabinet Secretary for the National Interior must take all steps that are necessary and
05:46permissible in law to ensure that Mr Gilbert Massengeli is committed to prison to commence
05:50serving the sentence imposed on him.
05:53The court nevertheless finds it desirable to impose this sentence as a coercive order
06:00as opposed to a punitive order.
06:02In that regard, Mr Massengeli may avoid serving this sentence and therefore, in that regard,
06:09the court shall suspend this sentence for seven days only.
06:12The acting Inspector General of Police can redeem himself and comply by awaiting himself
06:16before this court in person to answer to the issues he has been avoiding in the fold.
06:20The sentence shall automatically become effective.
06:27Human rights have to be respected.
06:29Under this rule of law, we are in a democratic country and I want us also to differentiate
06:35from the normal arrest and abduction.
06:38When you are arrested by police officer, you are taken to the police cells, investigation
06:43launched when the evidence allows you to be taken to the court of law, then to the prison
06:50if you are convicted.
06:57We cannot discuss matters before court.