By Olakunle Olafioye

Although three-year old Memunah (not real name) is too young to understand the fate she suffered in the hand of her molester, the ugly experience of the day she was defiled will definitely wait in ambush to haunt her as she grows older with the painful reality that the man who defiled her was not found culpable of the crime. He was discharged and acquitted as the presiding judge reasoned that there was no strong and compelling evidence to link him with the alleged crime.

Many cases have suffered the same fate as that of the little Memunah on the strength of lack of evidence. Of course any doubt whatsoever in law must be resolved in favour of the accused person. Over the years, the issue of lack of evidence to sustain allegation of crime has led to the frustrating dismissal of many cases, and on the other hand, even led to conviction of innocent people wrongly accused of committing crime.

 Such era can be conveniently said to have come to an end in Nigeria as Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode last week commissioned a state-of-the-art DNA and Forensic Centre built by the state government. The centre is the first of its kind not only in Nigeria but West Africa.  The development is indeed a huge relief as the era of delay and huge cost associated with DNA testing and forensic analysis on wide ranging issues such as crimes, paternity question, among others, is now a thing of the past.

 Speaking during the historic commissioning of the DNA centre, Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Adeniji Kazeem described the development as an eloquent testimony of the commitment of Ambode’s administration to the security of lives and property and judicial sector reform.

 Kazeem said that the DNA centre would give a massive boost to support the judicial system, law enforcement and criminal investigations.  While highlighting four critical benefits derivable from the DNA centre, the Attorney General said with the centre, the process of securing a crime scene and collecting forensic evidence would now be professionally done using modern scientific methods which would ensure a more professional investigation process as prosecutors would now utilize standard protocols and procedures for collecting evidence including ensuring that chain-of-custody is maintained at all stages.

“The DNA crime laboratory will especially be helpful when dealing with organised crime, including automobile theft, home burglaries and extortion. Many of these crimes are organised, gang related and committed by the same people. With DNA forensics, the DNA from the crime scenes and from suspects will be put in a DNA database,” Kazeem said.

Also speaking at the commissioning of the centre, Governor Ambode said the development would go a long way in resolving all forms of crimes, paternity issues and others through technology which is the modern trend across the world. He described the DNA Centre as a significant milestone and a symbolic manifestation of his administration’s policies in reforming the justice sector and in line with his vision to make the safe for residents and investors, adding that with the completion of the centre, the state was joining other advanced countries of the world which had embraced technology to make life easier for people in all spheres of existence.

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His words: “From the domestic front to our places of work; from the way we learn, to doing business, the use of technology has become a way of life. You will therefore understand why our administration had no hesitation in approving this project which serves amongst other things, as an effective method of bringing perpetrators of crime to book and ensuring quick dispensation of justice.”

Giving details of the DNA Centre, Governor Ambode said the facility has capacity to provide the Police, Prosecutors, Defense Attorneys and Private citizens with crime scene processing; serological screening for blood and semen; DNA analysis of bone, teeth and hair; maternal and paternal relationship DNA analysis; expert witness and case handling services; paternal and maternal ancestry DNA analysis; cold case file review and mass disaster human identification.

While assuring that the government would not rest on its oars in coming up with initiatives to secure the State, Governor Ambode said with the commissioning, the government would now move to the second stage of building additional capacity in the areas of Toxicology; Trace evidence and Controlled Substance Analysis; Fingerprint and Latent prints; Firearms, ballistics and Tool marks; Digital Forensics; and Questioned Documents Examination.

According to him, “The development of these other forensic sections at the facility will complement the DNA forensic section and enhance the level of services offered today.

“Before now, most, if not all DNA analysis and testing were performed outside Nigeria, a situation that caused longer turn-around times and an overall higher cost of bringing closure to a case.

“I am therefore convinced that the establishment of the Lagos DNA & Forensic Centre will improve the speed and quality of evidence collected to assist our Courts in the quick dispensation of justice. This centre is a definite boost for our administration’s Justice Sector reform programme. It shows that our covenant with Lagosians to create a safe and secure State is being kept,” Ambode said.

On his part, Managing Consultant of the Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre, Dr Richard Somiari, who was hired from the United States to manage the Center, said with the coming on board of the centre which has the technology and expertise to support all DNA testing needs, prosecutors, defence lawyers and law enforcement personnel, among others can now take advantage of the centre on various issues such as consultation on new and old cases, crime scene processing, evidence collection, serological screening for blood, semen and saliva, DNA analysis, mass disaster victim identification and cold case files review.

He said all the latest DNA analysis procedures currently possible can be performed at the centre, including Short Tandem Repeat (STR), male specific Y-STR, biological relationship and ancestry tests, while evidentiary biological samples such as blood stains, hair roots, bone, teeth, saliva and semen can be tested and compared to reference samples such as blood and buccal swabs.