Gilbert Masengeli, the Deputy Inspector General of Administration Police, has issued an apology to the High Court after being found in contempt in a case concerning the disappearance of three Kenyan citizens.
At the time of the incident, Masengeli was serving as the acting Inspector General of Police. He had initially been sentenced to six months in jail, but the court suspended the sentence for seven days, allowing him time to address the contempt charge.
In a sworn statement submitted on September 20, 2024, Masengeli admitted to missing court appearances, attributing his absence to operational responsibilities, including security duties in Northern Kenya and the Coast region. He expressed regret for his failure to attend court, stating that his non-attendance was not deliberate.
Masengeli acknowledged the court’s authority and pledged future compliance, assuring that he would submit a detailed progress report on the case shortly. “I sincerely apologize to this Honourable Court for not following orders and commit to adhering to them going forward. My failure to attend was not intentional but rather due to operational challenges,” he noted in his affidavit.
The case, which has drawn widespread public attention, was initiated by the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) on behalf of activist Bob Njagi and brothers Jamil and Aslam Longton, who were allegedly abducted by individuals suspected to be police officers in Kitengela on August 19, 2024.
The LSK had successfully obtained interim habeas corpus orders on August 23, directing Masengeli to produce the missing persons. However, Masengeli’s failure to comply led to his contempt of court conviction on September 9, 2024.
Masengeli emphasized that investigations were ongoing to find the three individuals and submitted reports on the efforts made to locate them. He also clarified that his absence from court was due to critical security operations in regions such as Lamu and Marsabit, which required his attention.
The court, which had expressed concern over Masengeli’s absence despite the availability of virtual court proceedings, is set to review the situation on Friday, following Masengeli’s apology and submission.
Njagi and the Longton brothers were found alive in Kiambu County on Friday morning, just hours before Masengeli was due to appear in court to appeal his jail sentence for contempt.
