Can Deleted CCTV Footage Be Recovered?
The investigation into the death of influencer Albert Ojwang has taken a dramatic turn after it was revealed that crucial CCTV footage at the Central Police Station was tampered with.
Ann Wanjiku, Deputy Chairperson of the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), made the revelation during a Senate hearing on Wednesday. This disclosure is expected to significantly influence the direction of the ongoing probe.
This revelation prompted an important question: Can deleted CCTV footage be recovered? What tools are used, and how reliable is the process? This article breaks it down.
Can Deleted CCTV Footage Be Recovered Using Modern Tools?
Yes. In many cases, deleted CCTV footage can be successfully retrieved using digital forensics.
Most modern CCTV systems store their recordings on digital storage media such as DVRs (Digital Video Recorders), NVRs (Network Video Recorders), or memory cards. When footage is deleted, it’s not immediately erased; instead, it is marked as free space for new data. This creates a recovery window—so long as the space hasn’t been overwritten.
According to East Africa Tech Solutions, CCTV forensic recovery involves analyzing storage devices from the scene to extract useful data. This includes not only the video but also metadata such as camera ID, timestamps, and recording duration.
The first step in recovery is isolating and securing the storage device to avoid further data loss. Experts then use specialized forensic software to scan for recoverable fragments.
Tools Used to Recover Deleted CCTV Footage
Several advanced tools are used:
- Magnet AXIOM & Magnet WITNESS – Help retrieve deleted videos and metadata from DVRs/NVRs.
- DVR Examiner – Allows footage recovery directly from hard drives, even without the original recording device.
- Cellebrite UFED – Useful for footage stored on removable devices like USBs or SD cards.
- X-Ways Forensics & Autopsy – Open-source tools that scan for unallocated or deleted files.
- VIP 2.0 – Used on-site by technicians to extract footage directly at the source.
In Kenya, such tools are utilized by forensic experts in the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and private digital forensics labs.
Conclusion
Deleted CCTV footage is not always lost forever. With quick response and the right tools, deleted video data can be recovered and used to support investigations. However, successful recovery depends on timing, technical skill, and secure handling of storage devices to prevent overwriting or corruption.
