DCI Requests to Confiscate Phones of Omtatah and Co-Accused Amid Ongoing Protest Probe
On Tuesday, December 31, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) asked the Chief Magistrate at the Milimani Law Courts for permission to seize the mobile phones of Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah and other individuals arrested during the December 30 protests.
The Directorate of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) filed a petition, explaining that the phones were needed to recover social media messages and photos shared by Omtatah and his co-accused. This would aid the DCI’s ongoing investigation.
The petition stated, “The phones should be sent to the Communication Authority of Kenya to extract data from WhatsApp, Facebook, and X, which may have incited the public against the government.”
The DCI is investigating Omtatah and the 22 other people arrested for inciting violence and defying the law during protests in Nairobi and other areas on December 30. The protests were triggered by anger over recent kidnappings, with at least seven people reported missing in the past week.
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Activists had called for protests to demand the release of the missing individuals, including Steve Mbisi, Billy Mwangi, Peter Muteti, Bernard Kavuli, Gideon Kibet, and Rony Kiplang’at.
The DCI also asked to detain Omtatah and the others for an additional 14 days to continue their investigation. They stated that they needed CCTV footage from nearby Java and Naivas supermarkets in Nairobi’s Central Business District and witness statements to complete the inquiry.
The DCI argued that releasing the suspects could lead to more unrest, saying they posed a threat to the country’s peace and stability. “If released, they may continue inciting violence on social media, causing division in the country,” the DCI warned.
Omtatah’s arrest sparked widespread public outrage, with many following his case closely. Political leaders, including Kalonzo Musyoka and Eugene Wamalwa, expressed support for Omtatah and criticized the government for restricting citizens’ rights and freedoms.
DCI Requests to Confiscate Phones of Omtatah and Co-Accused Amid Ongoing Protest Probe
