High Court judge Lawrence Mugambi has sentenced Acting Inspector General of Police Gilbert Masengeli to six months imprisonment.

The judge, on Friday, September 13, 2024, ordered Masengeli to surrender himself to the Commissioner General of Prisons to serve his sentence.

Additionally, Mugambi said that in the event he fails to surrender himself to prison, the Cabinet Secretary for Interior must take steps to ensure he is committed to prison to serve his sentence.

Masengeli failed to appear in court for sentencing in a contempt case; his lawyer, Cecil Miller, represented him instead.

Masengeli on contempt of court

On September 9, 2024, Judge Mugambi said that Masengeli had failed to honour the summons from the court.

Mugambi added that Masengeli’s actions amounted to willful disobedience that undermines the supreme law and administration of justice. 

“It is the responsibility of the court to hold such into account, and failure to appear in court amounts to direct contempt,” the judge noted.

“The IG has shown that he is busy or unbothered, and his actions show disobedience and undermine the Court.”

The judge also summoned the commandant of the security of government buildings (SGB)/VIP unit, Lazarus Opicho, to explain why he called Justice Mugambi’s bodyguard and his driver to ascertain his whereabouts.

 “We need to know the reasons for such an inquiry from Opicho. I reserve the sentence and explanation for Friday when Opicho will appear in court,” the judge noted then.

He remarked that Opicho had held the court at ransom and that the court would be able to ascertain what could have happened. 

Mugambi has also said that Deputy IG Eliud Langat can testify on the whereabouts of three persons allegedly abducted on August 19, 2024, in Kitengela during the Gen Z protests.