Court has summoned IG Joseph Boinnet to appear in court

Inspector General of Police Mr. Joseph Boinnet. [Photo by Wilberforce Okwiri/Standard]

The High Court has summoned the Inspector General of police Joseph Boinnet to appear in court and explain why he has failed to arrest the Defense Permanent Secretary Saitoti Torome.

Torome had been summoned to appear in court for failing to pay a family Sh17 million.

Justice Joseph Sergon on Monday issued  the orders after the PS willfully disobeyed and failed to comply with court orders issued on May 30 2016, compelling him as the permanent Secretary of defence, to pay the money.

Torome was to be jailed on Monday for contempt of court but he failed to appear in court.

"I do not understand why the PS who is the accounting officer does not want to pay the applicant's, he maybe enjoying some protection which is the reason why he does not appear in court", the Judge said.

Last month the same court sentenced the PS to six months in civil jail for contempt and was issued with another warrant on November 30 through the office of the Inspector General.

Sergon gave the sentence after Torome failed to obey court orders directing him to pay Sh17,257,930 to a family who gave out their estate to the government in 2006.

“The respondents have failed to appear in court and mitigate why he has failed to honour court orders having been cited for civil jail for contempt earlier,” the judge said.

 In the suit, Eunice Makori and Hellen Makone moved to court in 2009 to sue Torome, through Inspector General Joseph Boinnet. They failed to compensate them for the surrender of Johnson Onduko’s land in Mombasa town to the government.

Makori and Makone said being the administrator and personal representatives of the estate of Makori, the government failed to pay them Sh9.2 million, plus interest, in 2006, when the land was given to the government.

The applicants, mother and daughter, say in June 2015, a judgment was delivered and they were awarded money for compensation.

They said the judgment and orders given by the judge were served on Torome, Boinnet and the then Attorney General, Amos Wako, and they acknowledged receipt.

The PS filed an affidavit in June saying he is the accounting officer in the ministry and does not owe the applicant any money.

He added that he is aware that any liability or expenditure incurred against the government can only be defrayed from moneys provided by Parliament.

“Parliament has not provided my ministry with adequate funds to settle the applicant’s claim,” Torome said.

Inspector General Joseph Boinnet is expected in court on December 13.