Kenyan security minister convicted for defying court orders, to be sentenced tomorrow
A Kenyan court on Wednesday convicted the country’s Interior Cabinet Secretary (interior security minister) Fred Matiang’i, Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet and Principal Secretary of Immigration Gordon Kihalangwa for contempt of court in regard to the detention of opposition politician Miguna Miguna.
High Court judge George Odunga ruled that the three had failed to follow orders to release Miguna from detention and produce him at the court.
“This court gave the three officers an opportunity to defend themselves by directing them to appear in court but they decided to go into hiding instead,” Justice Odunga said in his ruling.
“Court orders must be respected and obeyed whether one agrees with them or not. This court must not make orders in vain otherwise it will be subject to ridicule.”
According to local Citizen TV, Odunga ordered that the three appear before the court on Thursday at 10AM for their sentencing.
“If the respondents will not appear in person before me tomorrow, I will proceed to sentence them in their absence,” ruled Odunga.
Miguna has been in detention since returning to the East African country on Monday from Canada, where he had been deported to on 6 February.
Contempt of court attracts a penalty of up to six months in jail.
