Deputy Inspector General of Police Gilbert Masengeli has moved to the High Court seeking an urgent order to halt the upcoming graduation ceremony at United States International University-Africa (USIU-A), following a dispute over his Doctor of Philosophy degree.
The senior police commander filed a formal petition challenging the university management’s decision to omit his name from the official graduation list scheduled for September 26, 2026.
Masengeli, who has been pursuing a PhD in International Relations at the institution, argues that he fulfilled all academic prerequisites and submitted his doctoral dissertation in full accordance with university guidelines, only to encounter administrative inertia and processing delays from departmental supervisors.
In his court filings, the Deputy Inspector General maintains that the institution’s failure to clear his research work for graduation constitutes a breach of administrative fairness and legitimate expectation.
Masengeli contends that he completed the requisite course work, presented his thesis defense, and complied with procedural corrections within stipulated academic schedules.
However, despite maintaining regular communication with academic advisors and faculty heads, the university allegedly withheld final approval without issuing formal, satisfactory explanations or affording him an adequate internal appeals process prior to publishing the graduation roster.
Requesting temporary conservatory orders, Masengeli urges the High Court to restrain USIU-A from proceeding with the planned graduation ceremony unless his academic status is reviewed and resolved.
He asserts that allowing the ceremony to go forward without addressing his grievances would cause irreparable damage to his professional standing and educational pursuits.
The legal action has drawn significant public attention, highlighting academic accountability standards within higher education institutions as the High Court prepares to issue directions on the matter.