Kenyan High Court, Nairobi, has sentenced the Acting Inspector-General of Police in Kenya, Gilbert Masengeli, to six months in prison for contempt, having repeatedly failed to appear before it to testify on the whereabouts of three men alleged to be abducted by the police.
The Court had summoned the police boss over the whereabouts of two brothers, Jamil and Aslam Longton, as well as activist, Bob Njagi.
The three were outspoken on social media platforms in support of mass anti-government protests in June and July.
Reports say dozens of people involved in the protests were abducted by state agents.
While some have been released, others are being held incommunicado,
Justice Lawrence Mugambi, in a ruling on Friday, gave Masengeli seven days to surrender himself to the Commissioner-General of Prisons to commence his prison term.
However, the judge suspended the sentence for seven days to give Gilbert Masengeli, the acting inspector general of police, a final chance to appear in court before having to report to jail.
He ordered the Interior Cabinet Secretary, Kithure Kindiki to ensure Masengeli’s imprisonment if the Acting IGP fails to surrender himself.
The judge said, “Mr Gilbert Masengeli is sentenced to six months imprisonment, he is ordered to submit himself to the Commissioner of Kenya Prisons to ensure he is committed to a prison facility to commence serving sentence.”
The judge gave the ruling following the Acting IGP’s refusal to honour six consecutive summons to appear before the court.
Masengeli’s lawyers had prayed the court to suspend his contempt verdict, saying there were ongoing attempts to find the missing activists.