US EditionKenyan Activist Fears for Life After Police Bug Phone
Citizen Lab found Kenyan authorities used Cellebrite technology to extract sensitive data from activist Boniface Mwangi's phone after his 2025 arrest, raising human rights concerns.
- This week, Citizen Lab published that a Cellebrite tool was installed on Boniface Mwangi’s phone without his consent, based on forensic analysis of a device he provided.
- After his arrest last year, police raided Mwangi's house and office in July 2025, seizing devices and accusing him of facilitation of terrorist acts, amid a broader crackdown following the 2024 protests.
- Researchers found forensic indicators show authorities gained access to messages, private files, personal documents, financial information, passwords, and other sensitive data on Mwangi's phone, leaving him feeling violated and fearing for his life.
- Mwangi plans to use Citizen Lab's findings in court to challenge charges, while AFP contacted Kenya police but received no comment Monday and the Kenyan government vowed an investigation without publishing findings.
- Human rights groups warn that Cellebrite's safeguards are insufficient, and research by Citizen Lab found the incident reflects growing abuse risks worldwide, citing limitations in the company's vetting processes.
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Kenyan activist fears for life after police bug phone
Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi said on Wednesday that he fears for his life after authorities installed spyware on his phone during his arrest last year.
Citizen Lab links Cellebrite to the hacking of a Kenyan presidential candidate’s phone
Researchers have found forensic evidence suggesting that Kenyan authorities used Cellebrite’s phone-cracking technology on the device of a prominent human rights activist after arresting him, according to a report published Tuesday. The University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab said the intrusion is a sign of growing abuse of Cellebrite’s technology. According to the report, after his widely criticized arrest in July amid mass protest, Boniface Mwang…
Investigation shows Kenyan police used Cellebrite to hack Boniface Mwangi’s phone
A new forensic investigation by The Citizen Lab has confirmed that Kenyan authorities utilized Cellebrite’s sophisticated phone-breaking technology to access the device of prominent activist and politician Boniface Mwangi. The report, titled Not Safe for Politics, details how the forensic extraction tools were deployed following Mwangi’s arrest in July 2025, adding to a mounting global record […] The post Investigation shows Kenyan police used C…
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