Safaricom denies withholding slain lawyers mobile data

Telecommunications giant Safaricom has dismisses reports by a section of the media that it has thrown into jeopardy investigations into the mysterious murder of human rights lawyer Willie Kimani, his client Josephat Mwenda and their taxi driver Joseph Muiruri by allegedly refusing to provide mobile data information to the police.

Safaricom, through its Director of Corporate Affairs, Stephen Chege, said the information is misleading as the company has cooperated with the investigating agents by providing the requested data to the police.

“Safaricom received a request from the National Police Service on 28th June, 2016 to provide Call Records and SMS data for the three parties listed above. This data was provided to the NPS the following day, 29h June, 2016,” said Chege in a statement to newsrooms.

He says that the Directorate of Criminal Investigations confirmed receipt of the data in the Court and that it stated ‘Safaricom had fully complied with the Court Order and given them what they needed’.

On 30th June, 2016, Safaricom says it received a habeas corpus application by the Law Society of Kenya, and duly appeared in court on July 1st, 2016 as directed.

“During that court appearance, Safaricom once again fully complied with the Court Order to provide the information as requested, and this was stated in Court.”

Chege added: “As requested, we provided IMEI history, Subscriber Data, and M-PESA Records. The Court itself took the same position that the company had complied with its Orders.”

“It should be noted that some of the requests that have been made of the company by the LSK involve information beyond our control, such as GPS tracking or investigation into activities on lines from other mobile networks.”

The company says that it has in past assisted with investigations into other crimes ‘where we can provide network information’.

“As a caring and responsible corporate citizen of Kenya, Safaricom, while abiding with the laws of this country, will provide all the support it can within its power and ability to support the on-going investigations and Court proceedings.”

Lawyer Kimani, Mwenda and Muiruri were found murdered and bodies dumped in River Oldonyo Sabuk in Machakos last week.