Kenyan activist Boniface Mwangi is in police custody after officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) detained him on Sunday, July 20, 2025. The DCI says Mwangi’s arrest is tied to allegations that he facilitated terrorist activities linked to protests held on June 25. He is being held at Pangani Police Station in Nairobi and is expected to be presented in court on Monday, July 21, 2025.
According to investigators, Mwangi was first picked up at his home in Lukenya, Machakos County. Officers reportedly seized two mobile phones, a laptop, and several notebooks during that initial operation. Police then escorted him to his office at the Mageuzi Hub on Rose Avenue in Nairobi’s Hurlingham area, where an extensive search was conducted.
Items said to have been recovered from the office include nine assorted external hard drives, two additional laptops, company seals for Brave Media Ltd and Courage Ltd, a company stamp, six cheque books, and copies of stamp duty documentation. Officers also reported seizing two unused tear gas canisters and one blank 7.62mm round of ammunition. Authorities say these recoveries form part of the evidentiary material informing the case.
Mwangi is expected to face charges related to the facilitation of terrorist acts and unlawful possession of ammunition. Investigators indicate that forensic analysis of the seized digital devices is underway and could shape the scope of the charges that prosecutors eventually pursue.
Mwangi’s detention followed several hours of public uncertainty over his whereabouts. Fellow activist and Vocal Africa CEO Hussein Khalid had earlier stated on social media that supporters trailing police vehicles lost contact with them in traffic and were unable to locate Mwangi at DCI headquarters on Kiambu Road, fueling concern that he had disappeared. The DCI’s confirmation that Mwangi is held at Pangani is likely to shift focus toward the upcoming court appearance and the legal basis for the accusations and any request for extended custody.
Law requires suspects to be produced before a court within timelines, though investigators may seek more days if a magistrate approves. Rights observers and supporters are expected to monitor Monday’s arraignment, with questions centering on the threshold for terrorism-related allegations arising from protest activity, the handling of seized materials, and Mwangi’s access to legal representation. Further updates are expected once he appears before a magistrate. This is a developing story.