Kenya’s acting chief of police, Gilbert Masengeli, was sentenced to six months in prison on Friday for repeatedly refusing to comply with court orders to provide information on the whereabouts of three men allegedly abducted by police officers.
The High Court in Nairobi suspended the sentence for seven days, giving Masengeli a final opportunity to appear in court before reporting to prison. The case was brought by the Law Society of Kenya, which is seeking the release of the three men who have been missing since August.
The three men were vocal on social media platforms during anti-government protests earlier this year. Human rights activists allege that dozens of people involved in the protests were abducted by state agents and held incommunicado.
President William Ruto has pledged to investigate these allegations, although he has defended the actions of state security forces during the protests.
Despite being summoned to court seven times, Masengeli failed to provide any information on the missing men. Judge Lawrence Mugambi ordered the minister of interior to ensure Masengeli’s imprisonment if he does not comply.
The police spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Masengeli’s lawyers argued that efforts to locate the three men were ongoing and requested a suspension of the contempt verdict.