Police to Spend 450m Every Quarter on DNA Samples

The Directorate of Forensic Sciences in the Uganda Police Force-UPF is seeking Shillings 450 million for examining at least 100 DNA samples from suspects and crime victims each quarter.

      This is contained in a document prepared by the acting head of the Directorate Forensic Science, Andrew Mubiru for other police directors who are also members of the Policy Advisory Committee. According to Mubiru, the Directorate of Forensic Sciences that was commissioned last week is envisaged to have an output of 100 DNA cases per quarter.  

“The DNA system is envisaged to have a throughout of 100 DNA cases per quarter and will require a quarterly budget of UGX 450M assuming each case yields six sample specimens,” Mubiru said. He also notes that the Integrated Ballistic Information Systems (IBIS) is running and has enabled police link 156 cases across the country from 2018 to date. The DFS, according to Mubiru, is still stuck with 1368 questioned document cases and 330 cybercrime cases.  

“In order to address this challenge, we have initiated a deliberate effort to train more experts coupled with upgrading our existing equipment to cope with the increasing demand for forensic service delivery,” Mubiru explains. Other challenges Mubiru has listed in his document include an ever-growing need of mobility by field Scene of Crimes Officers alias SOCOs.    

The forensic science directorate has 459 personnel of which, 330 are SOCOs who have been deployed in all districts in the country. In areas where crime is prone, DFS has deployed two or more SOCOs. “The mobility of field SOCOs is still a challenge as there is an ever-growing need to deliver superior forensic capabilities at the crime scene.

These superior capabilities will need to be transported safely and securely as they are at a premium,” Mubiru said. In order to ensure fast movement of DNA and others exhibits, Mubiru says the DFS needs an additional 217 motorcycles for district SOCOs, 30 Vans for Regional SOCOs and three vehicles to transport experts to courts of law countrywide.

Police lose over 5000 cases in court because of lack of evidence. This has been attributed to delayed delivery and poor storage of exhibits and DNA samples.