Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, Immigration chief Gordon Kihalangwa and Inspector-General of police Joseph Boinnet were on Thursday given 1 hour to appear in court for sentencing by Judge George Odunga.
The three officials failed to show up and were represented by their lawyers who argued that they faced difficulties in getting in touch with the trio because the orders were issued late. Odunga gave the lawyers an hour to find the clients, with the hearing scheduled to resume at 12.15 PM.
Odunga had on Wednesday found the three officials in contempt of court, convicted them and ordered that they appear in court on Thursday for sentencing.
Odunga also stated that that he would proceed with the sentencing regardless of whether the trio showed up in court or not.
This was after they defied court orders to release self-styled National Resistance Movement (NRM) General Miguna Miguna, who has since been deported for the second time in a span of two months.
[caption caption="Judge George Odunga"]
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NASA leader Raila Odinga, law proffesor Makau Mutua and billionaire businessman Jimi Wanjigi were among those who attended the hearing on Thursday.
Odunga had earlier criticized the officials for continually defying court orders, asserting that their positions did not put them above the law.
“There is no immunity for impunity; a time has come when the courts must lift the veil against those who act with impunity in disobeying it. No man is above the law. The Government officials cannot be allowed to catwalk around while disobeying court orders,” he affirmed.
Miguna claims that he was drugged by state agents before being bundled on a plane bound for Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Miguna's return to Kenya on March 26 degenerated into a stand-off that lasted over 72 hours at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
Miguna and his legal team clashed with law enforcement officers as they tried to serve them with court orders.
A previous attempt to deport Miguna on Tuesday night had failed after he protested to the captain of an Emirates plane that was also headed to Dubai.
[caption caption="Immigration chief Gordon Kihalangwa"]
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