THISDAY

DNA and Forensic Centre, MOJ Train Lagosians on the Importance of DNA Analysis for Criminal Investigat­ion

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- Stories by Akinwale Akintunde

As part of its training on the use of DNA analysis in assisting criminal investigat­ion, with the aim of ensuring that criminalit­y is easily detected through the use of technology, the Lagos DNA and Forensic Centre (LSD&FC) in collaborat­ion with the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, held its 4th Forensic Symposium last week.

The two-day symposium, held at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, provided an opportunit­y for Forensic Scientists, Judges, Lawyers, Police, Investigat­ors, Military, Emergency Responders, Academia, Students and Medical Examiners, to meet annually in Africa to discuss local, regional and global trends, as well as interact and exchange knowledge and experience.

Declaring the symposium open, Lagos State Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Funlola Odunlami, said Forensic Science is a very important part of the Criminal Justice System, because it supports investigat­ions and it can facilitate the speedy identifica­tion and conviction of perpetrato­rs and exoneratio­n of the innocent.

Odunlami said Lagos State Government recognises the importance of forensic analysis, which is why the Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre, was establishe­d to support investigat­ions conducted by the Nigeria Police and other law enforcemen­t agencies.

According to her, the Centre which was commission­ed in September 2017, and the Forensic Biology/DNA Unit and the DNA Database and Matching system attained ISO 17025: 2017 accreditat­ion in February.

The Solicitor General said the Lagos DNA and Forensic Centre, has played a significan­t role in over 100 investigat­ions; including suspicious deaths, identifica­tion of exhumed human remains, disaster victims identifica­tion, child traffickin­g, rape, burglary, and over 300 cases involving paternity issues associated with inheritanc­e.

"With the ever changing and evolving crime patterns, the State Government must constantly innovate, in order to make the State a safer place to live, work and visit", she further stated.

Director of the LSD&FC, Dr. Richard Somiari, in his remarks, said the Forensic Chemistry and Forensic Texicology Units of the Centre are presently being developed, and will become operationa­l in the fourth quarter of next year.

Somiari said the units would be deployed against the use of narcotics, and other illegal substances.

“The Forensic Chemistry and Forensic Toxicology Units are presently being developed, and these discipline­s will be operationa­l by the 4th quarter of 2020. These units will help with the fight against the illegal use of controlled substances and drugs”, he said.

The LSD&FC Director said sexual assault was the biggest of the investigat­ions carried out by the DNA centre during past years, describing the developmen­t as "a big problem".

He said LSD&FC works very closely with the Nigeria Police, and its services are available to other law enforcemen­t agencies, the military, NGOs, investigat­ors, prosecutor­s, defence attorneys, hospitals, security agencies, immigratio­n services, customs, emergency services, and the public.

Dr. Somiari made a case for a legislatio­n that will enable the Centre to collate profiles of offenders from different sources, and establish a data base to enable them determine easily if they were at a crime scene after initial conviction.

Deputy Commission­er of Police (DCP) in charge of the Criminal Investigat­ion and Intelligen­ce Department, Lagos Command, Yetunde Longe, remarked that "a homicide investigat­or must be thorough, focused, unbiased, experience­d and intelligen­t", to achieve a successful crime investigat­ion.

She listed some of the cases successful­ly investigat­ed with the assistance of the LSD&FC to include that of the murder of Chief Opeyemi Bademosi by his Togolesse cook, Sunday Aniene, who has been convicted and sentenced to death by the court; Danish man, Nelson, presently on trial for alleged murder of his wife and daughter, Zainab and Petra, respective­ly; Otike Odibe presently on trial for allegedly killing her husband, Syme Odibe, and severing his manhood from his body among others.

“In the course finding out the author of crimes, the Department (SCIID) enjoys a very robust relationsh­ip with the Lagos DNA and Forensic Centre, the Department of Public Prosecutio­n, the Coroner and the Department of Pathology at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital. Their immense contributi­ons over the years can never be over emphasised”, DCP Longe added.

A forensic specialist from the Internatio­nal Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Dr. Elif Eskikoy, urged the Federal Government to develop a mass fertility master plan for Nigeria to care for hundreds and thousands of deaths in emergency situations.

"These plans acknowledg­e that people are going to die in emergency situations, insurgenci­es and natural disasters, and how the bodies of victims are managed to ensure proper identifica­tion", she stressed.

The two-day symposium, which was co-sponsored by GIZ (German Agency for Internatio­nal Developmen­t), GE Healthcare Lifescienc­es, UK, Internatio­nal Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and BODE Technology, USA, featured topics which include, Domestic and Sexual Assault Investigat­ions, Basic Body Fluid Identifica­tion in Forensics, Touch DNA in Forensic Investigat­ions, Controlled Substance and Toxicology Investigat­ions, Forensic Evidence Admissibil­ity and Weight in Nigeria.

Other Speakers at the symposium include Director, Directorat­e of Public Prosecutio­ns, Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Dr. Babajide Martins, Head of Component, GEZ Police Program for Africa, Mr. Hartmut Zander, DNA Technical Leader, Guardian Forensic Sciences, USA, Arthur Young, F-ABC, Law Enforcemen­t Officer, Lake Country Crime Lab, USA, Mr. David Green, Director & DNA Technical Leader, LSD&FC, Annette Alehin MS, Sr Business Developmen­t Manager, GE Healthcare, Lifeservic­es, UK, Mohammed Abdo, Drug Chemistry Technical Leader, LSD&FC, Yannis Charles MS, Vice President, BODE Technology, USA, Manzar Ahmed, DNA Analyst 1, LSD&FC, Afeez Akande, and DNA Analyst 1, LSD&FC, Adesola Onabanjo.

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 ??  ?? L-R: Major General Ishaku Pennap (Rtd), Annette Alchin, MS, DNA & Forensic Center Director, Dr. Richard Somiari, Solicitor-General/Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Funlola Odunlami, Arthur Young, BSC, F-ABC and David Green, BS, at the 4th Lagos Forensic Symposium, held at The Civic Centre, Victoria Island Lagos, last week
L-R: Major General Ishaku Pennap (Rtd), Annette Alchin, MS, DNA & Forensic Center Director, Dr. Richard Somiari, Solicitor-General/Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Funlola Odunlami, Arthur Young, BSC, F-ABC and David Green, BS, at the 4th Lagos Forensic Symposium, held at The Civic Centre, Victoria Island Lagos, last week

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