Kenya’s acting Inspector General of Police, Gilbert Masengeli, has been sentenced to six months in prison for contempt after repeatedly refusing to comply with court orders.
The High Court in Nairobi summoned Masengeli multiple times to explain the whereabouts of three men, abducted in August following their participation in the recent #RutoMustGo protests.
Despite six court summons, Masengeli failed to appear. This prompted Justice Lawrence Mugambi to issue the prison sentence. The judge, however, suspended the sentence for seven days, giving the police chief one final opportunity to cooperate. Human rights groups have accused state agents of abducting protesters, with some eventually released, though the three men remain missing.
Masengeli’s defence team claimed were still working to locate the men, but the court emphasised the importance of upholding the rule of law. If Masengeli does not comply, Kenya’s Interior Minister has been instructed to ensure his imprisonment.
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