Deputy Inspector General of Administration Police, Gilbert Masengeli, appeared in court on September 20 to contest a six-month jail sentence.
Accompanied by his legal team and South Mugirango MP Silvanus Osoro, Masengeli’s appearance came shortly after he informed the presiding High Court judge, Chacha Mwita, that he was ready to attend the proceedings.
The court had previously sentenced Masengeli for his repeated absences, which were deemed a disregard for the rule of law.
The judge highlighted that this sentence was intended as a coercive measure rather than purely punitive.
He noted that Masengeli could suspend the sentence for seven days by appearing in court to address the issues he had been avoiding.
If he failed to do so, the sentence would be enforced.
Masengeli, who has been criticized for his absence from court, filed an appeal arguing that he had been unfairly treated and that he had sent representatives to explain his situation.
He contended that the court acted beyond its authority by convicting him without a proper hearing, claiming discrepancies in how evidence was analyzed compared to the respondents’ unsupported assertions.
In his affidavit submitted on the same day, Masengeli acknowledged his previous absences and expressed regret for violating court orders.
He attributed his non-attendance to operational challenges within security operations and emphasized that it was not intentional.
He expressed a commitment to comply with court directives in the future.
“I humbly apologize to this Honourable Court for breaking orders and undertake to comply in the future.
The non-attendance in court was not intentional but rather due to operational challenges,” he stated in his affidavit.
The case has drawn significant attention, with Masengeli seeking urgent consideration of his appeal to ensure fairness in the judicial process.