By Paul Kiwuuwa

THE Government has bought two machines that detect forgeries.
The Video Spectral Comparator and Electronic Static Detection Apparatus (ESDA) were purchased from Netherlands at a cost of 56,000 Euros (sh140b).

The machines can detect forged documents, fingerprints, shoe prints and tyre marks.

“We shall work hand in hand with public and private universities to phase out the forgery of academic transcripts and land titles,” said Ally Lugudo, the commissioner of the Government Analytical Laboratory.

Lugudo was yesterday speaking to the MPs on the defence and internal affairs committee who were touring the laboratory at Wandegeya.

The ESDA machine will also be used to detect forged cheques. “There are so many people who forge travellers’ cheques. The machine can help us trace them before the transactions are approved,” Lugudo explained.

A handwriting expert, Joseph Olanya, said the video machine could detect someone’s handwriting even when the original information has been tampered with.

“The machine can use toner to detect the lost handwriting which can reveal the original information.”
Forged signatures can be detected by analysing the speed one uses when signing the documents.
Olanya also stated that the Government had secured machines that detect human hair and blood samples left at the scene of a crime.

The MPs also heard that majority of the people who go for the Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) tests were house- girls impregnated by their employers. “We are charging sh400,000 but we want to double the amount for men who abuse house girls,” he said.

Another machine, a Comparison Macroscope used in detecting bullets fired was also secured.