Allan Ademba has announced the recovery of his iPhone, camera and other equipment seized by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) while he was covering the Ol Kalou by-election.
In a social media post, Ademba said he had finally regained possession of his equipment months after the seizure, noting that neither the DCI nor the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) had filed charges against him.
“I finally recovered my iPhone, camera, and other equipment seized by @DCI_Kenya while covering the Ol Kalou by-election,” Ademba stated.
He questioned the prolonged retention of his equipment, pointing out that no charges had been brought against him by the investigating agency or the prosecution.
Despite recovering the devices, Ademba expressed concern about the possibility of surveillance, saying he feared his equipment could have been monitored during the period it remained in the authorities’ custody.
He also revealed that he remained locked out of his former X account, @Ademba_47, raising concerns about his continued access to the social media platform.
Ademba thanked Defenders Coalition Kenya, Siasa Place and Magotsi Law for their support in helping him recover the seized equipment.
The incident raises concerns about the challenges journalists and media practitioners may face while covering electoral processes, particularly regarding the seizure of reporting equipment and access to digital platforms.
However, Ademba’s concerns about possible surveillance remain unverified, and no evidence was provided in his statement to establish that his devices had been monitored.
The circumstances surrounding the initial seizure, including the reasons given by the authorities, were not detailed in his post.
