President Kenyatta has today launched the Multi-billion forensic laboratory at the DCI headquarters to fast-track investigations of serious criminal cases in the country including terrorism and murder among many other cases.
The lab will serve as a national endeavour that will give Kenya the ability to unravel crimes, and support our criminal justice system through evidence-based investigations enabling quick and reliable reconstruction of vents as well as identification of suspects through validated and internationally acceptable means.
The evidence-based investigation will also help steer the demonization of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and ensure that it meets the international policing norms and standards.
“The Forensic Laboratory had been identified as a security flagship project under Vision 2030 and was one of the projects to be completed under the 1st Medium Term plan 2008-2012. Despite being classified under the security, peace building and conflict management sector which plays a critical and strategic role in achieving the targets of vision 2030, the project failed to materialize.” said the DCI boss Goerge Kinoti
He added, “The dream for the country to have a National Forensic facility that would help in solving crime scientifically has been elusive for many years two decades now, even after successive governments invested billions of shillings in the project”.
Speaking during the launch, President Kenyatta said, “this facility gives us the ability to unravel complex crimes and most consequentially support our criminal justice system through evidence-based investigations enabling quick and reliable reconstruction of events”
He added, that the Forensic lab will also help protect our police officers from unfounded allegations that have been there in the past”
This is also a first-of-a-kind lab in East Africa and also the 3rd most modern forensic lab in Africa after Egypt and South Africa. The lab will identify, seize, acquire and analyze all electronic devices related to all cyber-enabled offences reported so as to collect digital evidence which is presented in a court of law for prosecution purposes.
The lab has 12 units outlining the specific responsibilities of forensic analytics that include: Fingerprints Identification Bureau, Forensic Chemistry Unit, Forensic Biology unit, a Cybercrime and Forensic laboratory unit.
The lab will also house Forensic Imaging and acoustics unit, Crime Scene Investigations Unit, Documents Examination Unit, Bomb and Hazardous Material Disposal Unit, Forensic ballistic unit, Evidence Management Unit, Quality control unit and an Anti-Terrorism unit all under one roof.
DCI boss George Kinoti said it is expected to fast-track investigations of serious crimes including terrorism, murder, robbery with violence, cyber-crime and rape, among others, besides unravelling several cases, some of which had been difficult to crack.
Over the last nine years, the government has invested heavily in the construction of the physical structure and installed the relevant state-of-the-art equipment, in the 10 specialized scientific labs
“This is therefore a historic national achievement that DCI cannot celebrate alone, but with all Kenyans and stakeholders specifically within the criminal justice system. Today, we bring you comprehensive coverage of the Commissioning of this critical state-of-the-art facility, that is comparable to none in Africa and which is the regional seat of Forensic investigations,” the DCI boss said.
Already, Qualified detectives in various academic scientific fields such as Computer Science, Pure Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology, Biochemistry, Physics and Information Technology among others, have been deployed to offer their professional services in their respective areas of specialization.