The revelation was made at the Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi on September 8, 2025, during the ongoing trial of Moi University student David Oaga Mokaya.
Mokaya was arrested in November 2024 after being accused of posting a satirical image on X that showed a coffin covered with the Kenyan flag.
The picture suggested that the coffin contained President William Ruto’s body. The post spread widely online at a time of political tension. Authorities said it caused fear among the public.
During the hearing, Safaricom officer Mr Daniaf confirmed he released Mokaya’s phone records to investigators after they made a formal request. He admitted that he did not receive any judicial order before handing over the information.
Defense lawyer Danstan Omari asked if he knew this was against the Data Protection Act. Daniaf said he was aware but added that it was routine to cooperate with police requests.
The admission has fueled anger among Kenyans who already suspect Safaricom of working too closely with state agencies.
Human rights groups have long accused the company of giving location data to investigators without oversight. Some activists claim this has led to abductions of critics and government opponents.
A report published in June 2025 by Access Now urged Safaricom’s parent company Vodacom to look into the firm’s data sharing practices.
The report linked Safaricom to a series of abductions between 2024 and 2025. Safaricom has repeatedly denied such claims, saying it only responds when ordered by a court.
The court testimony has now cast doubt on those denials. Senators had earlier in July 2025 called for investigations into Safaricom and Airtel over the growing problem of unlawful data sharing.
Many fear that millions of M-Pesa users could be exposed to surveillance or identity theft.
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