The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has dismissed as baseless reports that it is conspiring with mobile service providers to track suspects in the course of the investigations.
According to the agency, the success of its investigations is attributed to the forensic analysis and collection of crucial evidence by its officers.
Addressing the press, DCI boss Mohamed Amin clarified that they do not entirely rely on mobile phones in tracking down suspects.
“Mobile phone analysis contributes to only one per cent of our investigations,” said Amin.
Amin added that in circumstances where they are forced to rely on mobile phones, they do so through lawful procedures.
“We go to court, swear affidavits and serve that court order to the service provider. It is only after we get the court order when we request the service provider to go and pursue,” he added.
Amin said even before the evolution of phones, they would still manage to arrest suspects without solely relying on it.
“How were we executing our functions before the emergence of mobile phones? It is through the courtesy of our investigators and national forensic laboratory,” he said.
His statement follows an exclusive report in one of the dailies that security agencies have, for years, enjoyed unrestricted access to sensitive call data records and location, enabling them to track and apprehend suspected criminals.
This has since attracted mixed reactions with a section of leaders accusing the police service of breaching customers’ right to privacy.
Speaking in Kitale, US ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman emphasised the need to respect the rights of private citizens.
“In democracies, the laws of privacy, the rule of law, and citizens’ rights must be respected, and these are democratic values that we share with Kenya,” she said.
By law, police are required to obtain a court order to extract crucial details from mobile companies’ systems to aid in their investigations with a view to prosecuting a suspect.
