Police body warned over court order

By Lucianne Limo

Kenya: Twenty-eight police officers who were prematurely retired nine years ago have asked the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) to reinstate them or face contempt of court proceedings.

Through their lawyer Kioko Kilukumi, the officers have accused the commission of ignoring a court order nullifying the retirement letters sent to them on May 5, 2004.

“We wish to point out that the continued disobedience of the court’s decision by organs of the government taints the image of government institutions in upholding the rule of law,” Kilukumi said in a letter dated October 2.

“As a country guided by constitutional principles whose bedrock is the rule of law, it is deprecating conduct for government institutions to be seen to flagrantly disobey court orders,” he added. The officers complained that they had twice reminded the commission to reinstate them in vain.

“Should you fail to immediately comply with the court’s order and reinstate our clients into employment, we will be constrained to initiate contempt of court proceedings against you without any further reference to you whatsoever,” Kilukumi said.

In September, Justice Weldon Korir ruled that the state was deliberately delaying to honour a court order delivered by Justice Mohammed Ibrahim on July 23, 2012, requiring that the officers be given back their jobs.