Acting Inspector General of Police Gilbert Masengeli has been sentenced to six months in prison for contempt of court.
The sentence was handed down after Masengeli failed to honor court summons regarding the disappearance of three political activists.
The court, led by Justice Lawrence Mugambi, emphasized that disobedience of court orders would not be tolerated, especially in cases involving public officials.
Masengeli is required to surrender to the commissioner of prisons within seven days to begin his sentence.
If he fails to do so, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has been instructed to ensure the sentence is enforced.
The case arose from Masengeli’s repeated failure to appear in court, with six previous summons being ignored.
His defense argued that his absence was due to security operations in the northern region, but the court rejected this explanation, citing impunity and defiance of the law as unacceptable from someone in his position.
The judge’s ruling serves as a reminder that even high-ranking officials are not above the law. Masengeli’s legal team had attempted to delay the sentencing, but their request was denied.
