29th March, 2018
A Kenyan high court judge on Thursday fined Interior Minister Fred Matiang’i and Inspector-General of police Joseph Boinnet 200,000 Kenyan shillings (1,985 dollars) for contempt of court.
Judge George Odunga had on Wednesday ordered the senior government officials to appear in court for sentencing, after ruling they were in contempt for failing to obey a court order to release a detained opposition politician.
Odunga ordered the money be deducted from their salaries.
On Wednesday, the judge ruled that Matiang’i, Boinnet and Kihalangwa were guilty for contempt of several court orders related to the detention of besieged lawyer Miguna Miguna.
He therefore ruled that the three senior government officials appear in court on Thursday..
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“If the respondents will not appear in person before me tomorrow, I will proceed to sentence them in their absence,” Justice Odunga ruled.
The three failed to appear in court as ordered and the judgement was delivered without them.
Judge Odunga had previously directed that Miguna, who had been detained at the Komo Kenyatts International Airport be released unconditionally.
However, the State disregarded the order and had Miguna deported to Dubai on Wednesday night.