The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has denied allegations that its officers are spying on the phones of Kenyan citizens, terming the reports as misleading and sensational.
In a statement on Friday morning, the agency was responding to a report run by the Daily Nation, where it was stated that detectives had surreptitiously installed spyware on activist Bryan Adagala’s phone in order to monitor his movements.
Adagala, who is also a producer of Blood Parliament, claimed that the device was tampered with after it was taken on May 21 and returned nearly two months later, on July 10.
The article also suggested that the spyware in question was commercially available and could be installed on any phone once one had physical contact with it.
The DCI has, however, strongly denied the claims, saying the report was intended to damage the reputation of the agency.
We categorically deny these claims as false and sensational, intended to mislead the public and tarnish the reputation of the DCI,” the agency said.
Even after they indicated that the issue is already before a court, the detectives signaled that they would not comment further for now.
They, however, assured Kenyans that their privacy and security remain a key concern.
“The DCI operates firmly within the law. We are committed to protecting the rights and dignity of all Kenyans and do not engage in anything that violates constitutional principles,” the statement read.
The statement comes hardly a week after the High Court ordered the state to compensate a young man Ksh 500,000 for an unlawful phone search by police officers without a court warrant.
The ruling fueled public debate on digital surveillance and the right to privacy in Kenya.
