A new device which can retrieve data from a wide range of phones, even while they are switched off or information deleted, is now being used by the Government to solve high profile crime cases.
Cellebrite Universal Forensic Extraction Device (UFED) designed by Cellebrite, can crack any passkey and access texts, locations, photos and other crucial information from all smartphones in under one hour.
According to a video by BBC, the technology can retrieve all call log and text entries and match the parties involved to their respective locations including those from platforms like Whatsapp.
According to a report, Kenya, among several other states, is now using the technology which is available for purchase for as low as Sh4 million.
The Kenyan Government has particularly used the device to do forensics on phones linked to the recent murders of the Sharon Otieno and Monica Kimani.
Joseph Irungu, a prime suspect whose phone is believed to have been off, has four of his friends being pursued after the system derived information of communication he had with them.
Currently, more officers are being trained on how to use the device which is now being used extensively to solve crime cases in the country.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations also used the Cellebrite device to link all suspects, including Migori Governor Okoth Obado, to the murder of Rongo University Student Sharon Otieno.
This device can also crack data from online sources such as email and encrypted data sources expanding into computer communications.
Although the gadget has received harsh criticism with claims that it intrudes into individuals personal data, it hastened the cracking of crime cases especially those involving high profile figures.
Video courtesy of BBC.
