Kenya’s police Internal Affairs Unit (IAU) has taken an extraordinary step in the ongoing investigation into the Witima church chaos by requesting the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) to submit a court request that would allow them to obtain mobile phone records associated with the case. This action represents a major advancement in the investigation of one of the most violent disturbances to occur at a religious site in recent times.
The IAU informed the ODPP through a February 3, 2026, letter that phone record access and communication metadata from specific numbers need to be obtained because they are vital for discovering important facts in the investigation.
The document submitted to the ODPP does not detail which numbers belong to police officers and politicians who were suspected of planning the church service disruption on January 25 at St. Peter’s ACK Church in Witima, Othaya, Nyeri County.
The request demonstrates how the entire country focuses its attention on the incident, which created panic among both political leaders and religious groups. The January event, which included former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua as one of its attendees, turned violent after a church member threw a teargas canister inside the building, which caused worshippers to flee while damaging church property.
Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja had earlier ordered a complete investigation because he called the disruption “deeply regrettable,” and he committed to bringing all responsible parties to face legal consequences. The authorities now request judicial permission to access phone records because they want to conduct investigations based on intelligence, while they need digital proof to investigate a matter that has become politically sensitive.
The IAU letter contends that they require the data because it serves two purposes: it secures information that law enforcement needs, and it enables them to analyze communication patterns, which will help them determine motive, coordination, and guilt.
The legal experts claim that the ODPP has not yet submitted their application, so the court must decide whether to grant or deny access, which will establish an important legal standard for handling digital proof in critical national investigations.
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