Private Investigator
in Kenya. Discreet. Licensed. Court-Ready.

Yes — completely. Private investigation is a fully legal profession in Kenya, regulated under the Private Security Regulation Authority (PSRA) Act. Instructing a PSRA-licensed investigator to gather evidence, conduct surveillance, or investigate a case is entirely legal. The resulting evidence is admissible in Kenyan courts.

What is illegal is: engaging an unlicensed investigator, using evidence gathered through illegal methods (illegal wiretapping, trespass, impersonation), or using a PI to harass, threaten, or stalk another person. A licensed investigator always operates within legal boundaries and will decline any instruction requiring illegal activity.

Hiring an unlicensed investigator risks you: their evidence is inadmissible, they have no legal accountability, and you may be exposed to liability for their illegal methods.

Licensed private investigators hold a valid operating license from the Private Security Regulation Authority (PSRA). To verify:

• Request a copy of the firm’s PSRA operating license — any legitimate firm provides this immediately
• Contact PSRA directly to confirm the license is valid and current
• Confirm ODPC (Office of the Data Protection Commissioner) registration — mandatory for any investigation involving personal data collection
• Ask for a formal engagement letter before work begins — licensed firms always document their engagements

Never engage a PI who refuses to show their license, operates solely through a WhatsApp number, has no physical office, or cannot provide a verifiable business registration.

Yes — provided the evidence was gathered legally by a licensed investigator following proper protocols. Evidence from PSRA-licensed investigators using legal surveillance methods, with proper chain-of-custody records, is admissible in: the High Court, magistrate courts, Environment and Land Court, Employment and Labour Relations Court, and commercial arbitration.

Evidence is excluded when gathered through: illegal wiretapping, trespass, entrapment, impersonation, or by an unlicensed individual. This is precisely why licensing matters — not as a formality, but as the foundation of legally usable evidence.

Ultimate Forensic Consultants maintains a 99% court evidence acceptance rate across 57+ High Court matters.

Licensed investigators can access certain government databases through official and legitimate channels — subject to legal requirements and data protection law. Some records are accessible through formal application: land registry, court records, business registration (eCitizen), academic verification with institutions. Others require court orders.

What a legitimate PI cannot do is illegally access restricted databases — NTSA vehicle records, immigration databases, IPRS population records, or police records — without proper authority. Any PI who claims they can access these “through contacts” should be treated with serious scepticism. Illegally obtained evidence is inadmissible and exposes both investigator and client to criminal liability.

We advise clients at the outset on exactly which databases we can legitimately access, which require formal applications, and which require court orders — so expectations are clear from the start.

Yes. Infidelity investigations are the most common service we provide. Our investigators use covert physical surveillance, long-range photography and video, and movement documentation to observe and record a subject’s activities without their knowledge — entirely legally.

The compiled evidence — timestamped photographs, video footage, movement logs, and investigator statements — is produced as a court-ready report suitable for divorce proceedings, custody cases, and matrimonial disputes.

If you suspect your partner is being unfaithful, instruct a professional investigation before making accusations. Evidence gathered by a licensed PI carries legal weight that personal suspicion or phone screenshots do not — and avoids the risk of making false allegations that damage your own legal position.

No — not from us. Confidentiality is the foundation of effective investigation. Our investigators are trained in covert surveillance and will not reveal themselves or take any action that could alert the subject. We also apply strict confidentiality to the client side: we will not contact you in ways that compromise your situation, and we never discuss client engagements.

We also advise clients on how to conduct themselves during an active investigation — what to say, what not to do, and how to behave normally so as not to inadvertently alert the subject that they are under investigation.

Yes. Evidence of infidelity gathered by a licensed private investigator — surveillance footage, photographs, movement logs, and investigator statements — is admissible in divorce proceedings in Kenya. Infidelity constitutes grounds for divorce under Kenya’s matrimonial law, and professionally documented evidence strengthens a divorce petition significantly.

We work alongside your family law advocate to ensure investigation findings are presented in the format most useful for your legal proceedings. Our investigators are available as expert witnesses if the court requires oral testimony on methodology and findings.

A cohabitation investigation confirms whether a person is living with a new partner — which has direct legal implications in Kenya. Under the Matrimonial Property Act 2013 and case law on maintenance, a former spouse’s cohabitation with a new partner can affect their entitlement to maintenance payments, and in some cases can affect property settlement claims.

We conduct cohabitation investigations by documenting overnight stays, shared residence, and other indicators of a committed living arrangement — through surveillance, interview, and database verification. The resulting report is formatted for use in family court proceedings.

A professional background check in Kenya covers a combination of the following depending on scope instructed:

• Identity verification: Confirming who the person is against IPRS and national ID records
• Employment history: Verifying previous employers, roles, dates, and reasons for leaving — including direct employer contact
• Academic credentials: Confirming certificates and degrees with issuing institutions — detecting fake academic papers, a widespread problem in Kenya
• Criminal record check: Investigating criminal history, court appearances, and ongoing litigation
• Financial history: CRB (Credit Reference Bureau) status, bankruptcy filings, and financial litigation history
• Professional licensing: Verifying professional licenses (doctor, advocate, engineer, CPA) with regulatory bodies
• Social media and reputation: Open-source intelligence on public social conduct

Scope is tailored to the purpose — pre-employment checks differ from pre-marital checks which differ from corporate due diligence. We advise on the appropriate scope at the outset of every engagement.

If you suspect internal fraud, the critical first step is to instruct an independent investigation before confronting the suspect or dismissing them. Internal confrontation without evidence frequently results in: destruction of evidence, legal challenges to any subsequent dismissal, and the suspect disappearing with more stolen assets.

A professional corporate fraud investigation includes: covert surveillance of the suspected employee, forensic examination of documents and work activities, digital forensics on company devices, financial analysis of transactions they control, witness interviews, and compilation of a court-admissible evidence report.

The resulting forensic report supports: disciplinary proceedings and dismissal with cause (avoiding wrongful dismissal claims), criminal prosecution through the DCI, and civil recovery of stolen assets. We work alongside your HR team and legal counsel throughout.

Yes — and this is one of the most valuable pre-commitment investments any business can make. Before entering a partnership, joint venture, or significant business relationship, a professional due diligence investigation confirms: whether the person is who they claim to be, their actual business track record including failed businesses and disputes, litigation history as a director or partner, financial standing, and any undisclosed conflicts of interest.

Many significant business fraud cases in Kenya could have been prevented by a pre-engagement due diligence investigation costing a fraction of the subsequent losses. We provide written due diligence reports that are structured for board presentations, investor reviews, and legal counsel use.

Polygraph (lie detector) results are not automatically admissible as primary standalone evidence in Kenyan courts — this reflects the position in most common law jurisdictions globally, including the UK and South Africa. Kenyan courts have discretion to consider polygraph evidence as part of a broader body of evidence, but they are not treated as conclusive proof of guilt or innocence.

However, polygraph examinations are extremely valuable as an investigative tool. They guide further investigation by indicating where to focus resources, support employment disciplinary processes (where admissibility standards differ from courts), help gather corroborating evidence, and are regularly used in HR proceedings, insurance investigations, and family disputes where the standard of proof is not the criminal standard.

We advise all clients on how to use polygraph results most effectively in their specific situation — whether in conjunction with other evidence for court, or as a standalone tool for private decision-making.

An employer cannot legally compel an employee to take a polygraph examination against their will — the examination requires the subject’s voluntary and informed consent. Forcing or coercing an employee to take a polygraph test could constitute a violation of their rights under the Employment Act 2007 and the Constitution of Kenya 2010.

However, an employer can request that an employee voluntarily submit to a polygraph examination as part of a workplace investigation. An employee’s refusal to take a test, while not automatically proof of guilt, can be a factor considered alongside other evidence in disciplinary proceedings — provided the refusal is not used as the sole basis for action.

We advise clients on how to correctly present and manage a polygraph examination request within employment law, to avoid any subsequent legal challenge to the process.

Private investigator costs in Kenya vary significantly by service type and complexity. Our standard range:

• Background check: KES 15,000 – 40,000
• Surveillance per day: KES 30,000 – 80,000
• Infidelity investigation: KES 60,000 – 180,000
• Polygraph examination: KES 25,000 – 80,000
• Asset tracing: KES 80,000 – 250,000
• Corporate fraud investigation: KES 120,000 – 350,000+

We provide written quotes before any work begins — no surprises. The question to ask is not just “how cheap?” but “how effective, legal, and court-admissible?” A cheap investigation producing inadmissible evidence or conducted by an unlicensed operator is not just worthless — it can damage your legal position.

Yes — completely. Your initial consultation is 100% confidential. We do not disclose who has contacted us, what cases we are investigating, or any client information under any circumstances. Our confidentiality obligations are both professional and legal — we are registered with the ODPC and bound by Kenya’s Data Protection Act 2019.

We communicate through your preferred channel — phone, WhatsApp, email, or in person — and adapt our communications to avoid any risk of compromise. We invoice discreetly and never discuss client engagements with third parties without explicit written instruction.

We maintain a 4-hour response guarantee for initial consultation responses. For urgent cases — surveillance that must begin within 24 hours, or situations where evidence may be lost — we can mobilise field investigators on the same day as instruction in Nairobi, and within 24–48 hours in Mombasa and Kisumu.

For non-urgent investigations (background checks, document examinations, due diligence), work typically begins within 1–2 business days after the engagement letter is signed and initial payment is made.

We report the truth — regardless of what it is. If an investigation finds no evidence of infidelity, fraud, or wrongdoing, that finding is reported clearly and honestly. We do not fabricate findings or extend investigations beyond what is necessary to reach a clear conclusion.

In many cases, a negative finding is genuinely valuable: confirmation that a partner is faithful, a business associate is legitimate, or a property is clean is real and actionable information. It protects you from acting on false suspicion — which can be just as damaging as discovering the truth.

Our reputation depends on accurate, honest reporting. This is precisely why our court acceptance rate is 99% — our evidence is reliable because we report what we find, not what a client wants to hear.

Yes. We regularly serve clients outside Kenya — Kenyan diaspora, foreign nationals, and international businesses. You can instruct us entirely remotely via phone, WhatsApp, email, or video call. We conduct the investigation in Kenya and report to you digitally, wherever you are in the world.

Common remote instruction cases include: diaspora Kenyans investigating a potential land purchase or business partner in Kenya, foreign nationals who met a “Kenyan” online and suspect a romance scam, and international businesses conducting due diligence on Kenyan counterparties or employees.

We offer video consultation sessions to walk you through findings, and our reports are structured to be clearly understood by clients unfamiliar with the Kenyan context.

Yes. We maintain a team that includes trained female investigators — particularly valuable for matrimonial investigations, female client cases where a client prefers a female point of contact, and investigations in social environments where a male investigator would be conspicuous.

In infidelity and matrimonial cases specifically, female investigators often operate more naturally in social settings — coffee shops, salons, malls, social events — without attracting attention. If you have a preference for a female investigator on your case, please specify this at the consultation stage and we will assign accordingly.

All our investigators, male and female, hold the same professional qualifications and operate under the same legal and ethical standards. The sex of the investigator does not affect the quality or admissibility of the evidence gathered.