High TV drama expected as Matiang’i, Boinnet set for sentencing
Kenyans could be treated to high television drama today as Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, immigration’s Gordon Kihalangwa and Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet are expected to be sentenced for disobeying orders to release fiery lawyer Miguna Miguna.
High Court judge George Odunga ruled on Wednesday that Dr Matiang’i, Dr Kihalangwa and Mr Boinnet are guilty of acting in contempt of court.
Even though it is still unclear on whether the three will avail themselves as ordered, Justice Odunga said he would proceed with the sentencing whether they show up or not.
“The said respondents must personally appear before this court at 10am for sentencing and further orders, in default of their appearance the court will proceed to mete out appropriate sentences their absence notwithstanding,” said Justice Odunga.
COURT’S JURISDICTION
Whilst the judge had further ordered that the opposition activist should not be removed from the court’s jurisdiction, his lawyer confirmed late last night that he had been deported to Dubai.
This is the second time, the lawyer has been deported at a time which the court has issued orders requiring him to be presented in court.
When Justice Luka Kimaru ordered that he be presented in court when he was first arrested and detained in several police stations, the immigration officials and the interior ministry had him deported to Canada.
And despite various court rulings hitting the government on the manner in which he has been handled as well as his deportation, it still remains unclear whether this time round the contempt will be purged.
The judge had earlier in the day summoned the three to appear in court in the afternoon as well as release the lawyer.
But none of this happened and the court was later told that the trio were attending a General Service Unit (GSU) pass out ceremony.
On Wednesday, the state told court that Dr Miguna had not been processed at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport hence his continued detention almost 72 hours after landing back on the Kenyan soil.
UNDERLYING REASONS
The court heard that “there are underlying reasons as to why he was being detained awaiting to be processed”.
The court was further told to await filed responses from the government with clear explanations on Dr Miguna’s detention at JKIA which it termed as a ‘no man’s land’.
In a ruling that put the government on the spot and more specifically the Interior CS for disobeying court orders, Justice Odunga pointed out that unless the activist was released, the state would also not be granted audience in court.
Dr Miguna’s lawyers were reportedly clobbered and chased away from JKIA last night as they went to serve orders issued by Justice Odunga.