Israeli tech firm Cellebrite tools unlocked activist Boniface Mwangi’s phone, report finds

A new report released today by the Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto concludes that forensic extraction technology made by Cellebrite was used on the phone of prominent Kenyan activist and opposition politician Boniface Mwangi following his widely condemned arrest in July 2025. The report, titled “Not Safe for Politics: Cellebrite Used on Kenyan Activist and Politician Boniface Mwangi,” details forensic evidence indicating that Cellebrite’s tools were deployed on Mwangi’s Samsung Android device while it was in police custody.

Mwangi, a vocal government critic who has announced plans to run in Kenya’s 2027 presidential election, was arrested on July 19, 2025, by officers from Kenya’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), part of the National Police Service. Authorities raided his home and office in Nairobi, seizing multiple electronic devices.

According to the Citizen Lab’s analysis, digital artifacts found on Mwangi’s returned phone show signs consistent with the use of Cellebrite’s forensic extraction technology on or around July 20–21, 2025, when the device was held by police. Researchers identified traces of an application associated with Cellebrite’s tools, suggesting the potential “extraction of messages, files, passwords, financial data, and other sensitive materials.”

Mwangi’s arrest came amid nationwide protests in 2025 against alleged extrajudicial killings by Kenyan authorities. He was initially accused of terrorism and money laundering in connection with anti-government demonstrations in June 2025, during which dozens of protesters were reportedly killed in clashes with police.

The report also situates the case within what researchers describe as a broader pattern of “surveillance abuses in Kenya.”

The Citizen Lab’s report adds Kenya to a growing list of countries where Cellebrite technology has allegedly been used against activists, journalists, and opposition figures. The organization cites prior forensic confirmations of Cellebrite use in cases in Jordan and Serbia, as well as reported uses in countries including Russia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Myanmar, and Bahrain.

Celebrite is an Israeli company specializing in digital intelligence and forensic technologies. It develops tools that enable authorized agencies to collect and examine data from mobile phones, computers, and cloud-based platforms. The company is particularly recognized for its mobile data extraction solutions, including its Universal Forensic Extraction Device (UFED) line, which is designed to retrieve information such as communications, media files, application data, and other digital artifacts from electronic devices.

The firm has faced criticism from privacy and human rights groups concerned about the potential misuse of surveillance technologies. The company maintains that its products are intended for lawful use and that it implements compliance and oversight measures to reduce the risk of abuse. The latest alleged service provision to the Kenyan government raises eyebrows, as it comes at a time when the government of Kenya has been widely accused of using brutal force against dissenters.