High Court Frees DIG Masengeli After Conviction Overturned
On Friday, the High Court in Nairobi reversed its initial decision to sentence Deputy Inspector General of Police Gilbert Masengeli to six months in prison.
High Court Frees DIG Masengeli After Conviction Overturned.
— AfricasNow (@AfricasNow24) September 20, 2024
On Friday, the High Court in Nairobi reversed its initial decision to sentence Deputy Inspector General of Police Gilbert Masengeli to six months in prison. pic.twitter.com/rCl1SkQOKO
While delivering the decision, Justice Lawrence Mugambi acknowledged Masengeli’s apology, which he presented to the court during the hearing.
According to the judge, Masengeli was cross-examined by advocates, and his answers appeared genuine, so the court believed in his apology.
“The intention of the court was not to punish Masengeli for the sake of it but to ensure that the sentence restores the dignity and the authority of this court,” stated Justice Mugambi.
BREAKING
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) September 20, 2024
Justice Mugambi: Masengeli through this purging process has purged his guilt for the contempt of court & thus both the conviction and sentence passed are set aside. I am making my decision to recuse myself from further proceedings of this case for personal reasons pic.twitter.com/GEfRctG6Lk
“It is not the work of the court to punish a genuinely remorseful man,” the judge added.
Following the ruling, Justice Lawrence Mugambi announced the decision to recuse himself from the case.
The decision comes just an hour after the police chief expressed regret for contempt of court and asked for forgiveness.
“I apologize to the court for the events that have transpired leading to the orders of this court,” pleaded the police DIG.
“My lord, I respect you for the good work that you do to uphold the rule of law. I pray that this court accepts my apology.”
While apologizing, the police Deputy Inspector General denied any involvement in the release of the three Kitengela abductees.
According to him, he only learned of the release of the three, Bob Njagi, Jamil Longton, and his brother Aslam Longton, who were kidnapped in Kitengela in August.
“I don’t know them(Kitengela three), I knew them when it was recorded at Kitengela Police Station and circulated by the OCS,” Masengeli told the court.
High Court Frees DIG Masengeli After Conviction Overturned
