EAC forensics chiefs seek funding for regional crime centre

By David Mugabe

Regional forensics experts meeting in Kampala earlier this week have called for deeper coordination and utilization of the forensics center to be located in Kampala to avert rising crime levels.

Forensics science helps in curbing crime by providing scientific proof of crimes either committed or not during prosecution of suspects in the courts of law.

Dr Julius Rotich, East African Community deputy secretary general in charge of political federation said the establishment of the centre would go a long way in managing crime which is taking a new form with criminals traversing the region because of open borders since the commencement of the common market about two years ago.

“We want to improve standards of investigations so that once somebody is taken to court we have the evidence, we don’t want innocent people jailed and guilty people freed,” said Rotich. Rotich said Forensics is a complex matter and the region is yet to build adequate capacity but standards have to be harmonized as a starting point thus the need for a regional forensics centre.

“Uganda has put in facility and are ready to move, we needed the centre yesterday,” said Rotich. Uganda was earlier this year chosen by the five member states to house the regional centre

Terrorism, drug and human trafficking, illegal trade and piracy are some of the crimes to which the region’s citizens are exposed to. Lately Kenya has especially experienced several cases of terrorist attacks.

On Monday, forensics heads of the five member states began crafting the structure, shape and possible sources of funding required for the centre.