Civil Society Groups Call for the Public to Arrest Former Acting Inspector General Gilbert Masengeli for Defying Court Order

By Samuel Ouma

Civil society organizations have expressed grave concerns about the deteriorating civic space in Kenya.

The main contention has been the defiance of court orders by senior government officials, with particular attention drawn to former Acting Inspector General of Police Gilbert Masengeli.

This comes after the former police chief ignored a court order demanding his appearance before the Commissioner General of Prisons to begin serving a six-month sentence.

The court ruling stems from his failure to produce three abducted individuals—Boby Njagi, Aslam Longton, and Jamil Longton—who were reportedly kidnapped in Kitengela.

In a statement, the human rights defenders urged Interior Cabinet Secretary Kindiki Kithure to initiate steps to have Masengeli imprisoned.

“We condemn this culture of impunity and expect the immediate-former acting Inspector-General of police, Gilbert Masengeli, to lead by example by obeying the court order and present himself to the Commissioner General of Prisons to begin serving his six-month sentence,” read the statement in part.

If Kindiki fails to do so, they warned that the public may take matters into their own hands by pursuing a citizen's arrest to ensure justice is served.

“Should the Interior CS fail to initiate the steps to commit Masengeli to prison, we urge the public to initiate citizens’ arrest against the immediate-former acting IG,” the statement read further.