DIG Masengeli Served While In Court Over ‘Rule Of Law’
Charles Mugane, the lawyer who filed a petition to remove Deputy Inspector General Gilbert Masengeli from office on Friday, took an unusual step and served the police chief in court.
The lawyer represented Masengeli when the former Acting Inspector General appeared in court to argue why he should not serve time in jail after Justice Lawrence Mugambi sentenced him to six months in prison.
The advocate was seen leaning over to serve Masengeli, who was seated next to National Assembly Majority Whip Sylvannus Osoro, other senior police officials, and a group of lawyers.
“The Rule of Law and Citizen’s Power,” the lawyer wrote on his official social media accounts.
On Wednesday, September 18, Mugane, an advocate and human rights activist, filed a petition to remove Masengeli from office for contempt of court.
Lawyer Charles Mugane serves DIG Gilbert Masengeli a petition seeking his removal from office during court proceedings today. pic.twitter.com/K5wAahrpUQ
— NairobiLeo.co.ke (@Nairobi_Leo) September 20, 2024
The lawyer argued in his petition that the Deputy Inspector General violated Chapter 6 of the Constitution as well as the Leadership and Integrity Act while serving as Acting Inspector General.
Masengeli had ignored seven court summonses. The senior police officer was supposed to explain the whereabouts of activist Bob Njagi and two brothers, Jamil and Aslam Longton, who were kidnapped in Kitengela in August.
“Any time served in office by Masengeli after his conviction is nothing but a gross mutilation and dismemberment of the very constitution that we so much pride in and in whose defence he swore to uphold,” the advocate stated.
The three missing people were eventually released by their captors in the early hours of Friday, September 20, which happened to be the same day Masengeli was scheduled to begin serving his sentence.
During Friday’s court proceedings, Masengeli apologized to Justice Mugambi and explained that his absence was due to his duties, which required him to attend to critical national security matters.
Nonetheless, Justice Lawrence Mugambi announced that Masengeli’s sentence, which was scheduled to begin on Friday, would be suspended for seven days.
During the court proceedings, AG Dorcas Oduor, who represented Masengeli, clashed with LSK lawyers. Oduor had to be restrained by Sylvanus Osoro.
DIG Masengeli Served While In Court Over ‘Rule Of Law’
