Acting Inspector General Gilbert Masengeli reported on Tuesday that the security officers assigned to Justice Lawrence Mugambi have been replaced, not withdrawn.
Masengeli stated that two VIP protection officers from the Judiciary Police Unit have taken over the duties of the previous officers.
He clarified that all officers seconded to various government institutions remain under the command of the National Police Service.
He further explained that the two general duty officers assigned to Justice Mugambi were recalled for VIP security training and replaced with specialized VIP protection officers.
“Police Officers seconded to all government institutions, remain serving officers of the National Police Service and their deployment or reassignment remains the mandate of the IG,” Masengeli said during a press briefing at the Police Pavilion in South C, Nairobi.
“In the case of Justice Mugambi, the two security officers in question are general duty officers and were therefore recalled to attend VIP security training, and were replaced by two VIP protection officers from the Judiciary Police Unit,” he said.
Masengeli strongly refuted claims suggesting that the security changes were made to intimidate Justice Mugambi, who had recently sentenced Masengeli to six months in prison for contempt of court. He described such allegations as misleading and ill-intended.
The controversy followed remarks by Chief Justice Martha Koome, who condemned the removal of Justice Mugambi’s security detail as a direct assault on judicial independence.
Koome said the officers were disarmed and removed over the weekend, raising concerns about the National Police Service’s respect for the judiciary.
