Independent Policing Oversight Authority (Ipoa) Chairperson Anne Makori with President William Ruto at Statehouse in the past event. Photo Credit: IPOA/X.
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has launched investigations over the allegations concerning the withdrawal of security personnel of High Court Judge Lawrence Mugambi.
This comes after justice Mugambi’s sentenced the Acting Police Inspector General (IG) Gilbert Masengeli to six months of imprisonment. This is after he failed to appear before the court a record seven times to explain the whereabouts of three men who went missing on August 19 in Kitengela.
Through a statement on Tuesday, IPOA CEO Elema Halake refered to a statement by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) confirming the withdrawal of Mugambi’s security detail.
“In view of the foregoing, the Independent Policing Oversight Authority, on its own motion, has instituted investigations into the alleged withdrawal pursuant to Section 6 of the Independent Policing Oversight Authority Act, Cap 86 Lows of Kenya,” Halake said in the statement.
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urther, Halake condemned the decision by the acting IG Gilbert Masengeli to snub court summons, a decision that led Justice Mugambi’s decision to impose the jail sentence.
“Failure to honour summons is unlawful and violates Article 244 of the Constitution. It sets a dangerous precedent which encourages impunity and disregard for the rule of law,” Halake said.
Masengeli In his defence, in a statement issued on Tuesday, said his assignment as the chief officer in charge of the security of the entire nation is demanding and rarely allows him to attend to other matters.
He noted that at the time of the court summons, he was on a security tour at the Coast and North Eastern Regions of the Country.
The acting IG also said he complied with the court order by sending Deputy IG of the Kenya Police Service to represent him in court because the matter in question was not personal to him.
“It’s not clear why the court insisted on the IG attending to this matter in person yet a senior officer had been availed by the service,” the IG said in a statement on Monday.
