The High Court has ordered acting Inspector General of Police Gilbert Masengeli to appear in court tomorrow to explain why he should not be held in contempt of court. ‘

The IG was expected in court yesterday to explain the whereabouts of three people allegedly abducted by police in Kitengela during youth-led protests in July.

Justice Lawrence Mugambi said he would accord Masengeli the opportunity to explain himself before delivering his ruling on the matter.

Mugambi made the order after Masengeli (pictured) failed to turn up in court to explain the whereabouts of the three missing persons.

Arrest warrant

The police boss instead sent a State counsel to explain to Justice Mugambi that he was away on official duty.

Following the judge’s ruling, Law Society of Kenya (LSK) president Faith Odhiambo applied for a warrant of arrest against Masengeli.

Odhiambo also applied to have the IG cited for contempt for disobeying three court orders that required him to produce the missing persons in court, appear in court and explain the whereabouts of two brothers – Jamil Langton and Aslma Longton – and activist Bob Njagi.

‘Show of disrespect’

She told Justice Mugambi that the police boss had exhibited the highest level of disrespect to the court by failing to attend proceedings and produce the three missing people.

“We pray that the Inspector General of Police… be issued with a warrant for deliberately being in contempt of court orders,” Odhiambo said.

The families of the missing people have not seen or heard anything about their missing kin, the court heard.

The State counsel said relatives of the missing people made a report at the Kitengela police station that their relatives were abducted by unknown people.

“Reports at the Kitengela police station indicate that the three men were abducted by unknown people. They did not say it was the police who abducted the three,” the court heard.

But the LSK maintained that only police use unregistered Subarus to ferry abducted suspects.