AG Almost Loses Her Cool After Nelson Havi Confronts Her In Masengeli's Case: "Respect People"

• Lawyer Nelson Havi went for Attorney General Dorcas Oduor's jugular as they both appeared in court during the hearing of former acting Police Inspector General Gilbert Masengeli's case
• The Attorney General was part of the legal team representing Masengeli, a convict jailed for six months
• Oduor took on Havi after the latter, appearing alongside LSK, asked her to sit after a brief confrontation

Eli Odaga, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings more than three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.

Nairobi—There was a brief scene in the High Court when Attorney General Dorcas Oduor took on lawyer Nelson Havi in the case of convicted former acting Police Inspector General Gilbert Masengeli.

Oduor was leading the legal team appearing for Masengeli, with Havi siding with the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), which filed a petition seeking action against the senior police officer due to his supposedly blatant disobedience to the court.

How AG Oduor clashed with LSK lawyer

Oduor, while defending the former acting IG, said it was untrue that he had been arrogant and deliberately defied the court's summons.

According to her, Masengeli was not accorded enough time to explain the circumstances leading to his absence in court whenever he was needed.

Oduor said the summons clashed with the former acting IG's work commitments out of Nairobi.

Her submissions seemed to have irked the petitioners, among them the LSK.

Havi and Oduor clashed at the height of their alternating submissions in the packed courtroom. The former asked the Attorney General to sit, which provoked her.

"What do you mean I sit down? You must respect people," fired Oduor.

She severally accused Havi of misinterpreting her submissions, forcing her to occasionally rise before the judge to clarify.

Video; courtesy

Masengeli's woes followed his defiance of court summons seven times.

He was needed in court to explain the whereabouts of three Kenyans abducted in Kitengela.

What Masengeli told court in first appearance

Taking the stand, Masengeli sought clemency from Justice Mugambi, saying his absence in court when needed was not deliberate and that he was held up with work commitments.

He, however, appreciated that obeying and enforcing court orders were among his responsibilities as a police officer.

The senior police officer pleaded with the judge to vacate the sentence.

Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura Guthua, journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke