Acting Inspector General Gilbert Masengeli has been sentenced to six months in jail, with a seven-day grace period to take action and avoid imprisonment.

Acting Inspector General of Police, Gilbert Masengeli, has been sentenced to six months in prison for contempt of court. The ruling was delivered by Justice Lawrence Mugambi on Friday after Masengeli failed to appear in court despite being summoned seven times.

Justice Mugambi ordered Masengeli to present himself to the Commissioner General of Prisons to begin serving his sentence. If he fails to do so, the court directed the Interior Cabinet Secretary to enforce the order. However, the sentence has been suspended for seven days, giving Masengeli a chance to comply with the court’s directives.

“The court views this sentence as a coercive measure rather than punitive. Mr. Masengeli may avoid serving the sentence if he appears before this court in person within seven days to address the issues he has been evading. If he fails to do so, the sentence will automatically take effect,” the judge stated.

Masengeli was summoned to explain the disappearance of Jamil Longton, his brother Aslam Longton, and activist Bob Njagi, who were allegedly abducted by individuals suspected to be police officers during the Gen Z-led anti-government protests on August 19, 2024.

Despite multiple court orders, Masengeli repeatedly ignored the summons, leading to his conviction for contempt of court.