The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has been embroiled in a spyware scandal after it was discovered that it had installed spyware on the devices of activist Bryan Adagala.
Lawyer Ian Mutiso, who is representing four filmmakers linked to the ‘Blood Parliament’ documentary by the BBC, disclosed on Wednesday, September 10, that an analysis done on the gadgets revealed the presence of spyware.
Mutiso attributed the new development to findings from an independent forensic analysis done by the Citizen Lab, an interdisciplinary laboratory whose mission is to produce evidence-based research on digital threats to civil society, human rights, and global security.
The report detailed that the spyware was installed on the device of Adagala, one of the filmmakers, on May 21, at 5:17pm, while it was still in the custody of the police. His device was later returned to him on July 10.
According to the laboratory, the spyware tool is one that anyone can purchase and easily install on certain devices that they have physical access to, including Android phones.
The Citizen Lab further informed that the spyware can covertly capture a wide range of user behaviour and materials from the device.
Some of the abilities of the spyware included recording phone calls, capturing audio from the microphone, capturing text messages sent as SMS or through other apps, such as WhatsApp, and collecting screenshots.
Other capabilities are tracking a device's location, deleting, modifying data, and collecting screenshots.
The spyware is said to have a relatively low cost and is readily available, making it attractive for a wide variety of uses. Reacting to the incident, Mutiso condemned the incident, noting that it violated his clients’ rights.
In the past, the spyware has allegedly been used by cartels to spy on activists and dissidents.
Adagala, together with Nicholas Wambugu, Chris Wamae, and Markdenver Karubiu, was apprehended on Friday, May 2, under unclear circumstances following a raid at their Karen studios. They then went on to spend the night at the Muthaiga and Pangani Police Stations.
In the midst of their detention, police confiscated their equipment and hard drives. Reports that emerged indicate that the four were not charged, and their presence under police custody remained unclear.
They were later released the following day on a free bond after furious netizens spearheaded calls for their unconditional release after their detainment.
The ‘Blood Parliament’ documentary exposed the roles of the National Police Service and the Kenya Defence Forces in some of the killings witnessed during the Gen Z-led protests of June 25, 2024.
In some of the clips shown, two members of the NPS and KDF could be seen shooting at protestors, leading to their demise.
