President Uhuru Kenyatta on Monday, June 13, 2022, officially opened the DCI National Forensic Laboratory, in a colourful ceremony held at the DCI headquarters along Kiambu road.
While addressing invited guests and DCI staff, the President noted that the laboratory would be a game changer in the manner police conduct investigations and unravel complex crimes through scientific evidence-based investigations.
He noted that the evidence generated at the lab would be key in the expeditious resolution of cases.
The Head of State noted that the Lab was a key milestone achievement that would assist the Directorate in combating criminal acts such as murders, robbery with violence, terrorism, drug trafficking, money laundering smuggling among others and assist the criminal justice system in identification of suspects through internationally accepted means.
“The evidence led investigations that is enabled through these enhanced forensic capabilities will also help steer the modernisation of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and ensure that DCI meets the international policing norms and standards,” added President Kenyatta.
This he said would also protect police officers from unfounded allegations that have been there in the past regarding our capabilities in investigation of crimes.
The head of state noted that crime had changed dramatically due to technological advances, necessitating the need for the country to invest in the modern facility that would help in unravelling such crimes.
“Today criminals and their networks are utilising advances in technology as well as our increased internet connectivity to advance their nefarious goals and that is why the infrastructure housed in this facility is critical because it will revolutionise our investigatory techniques through cutting edge science to law enforcement actions resulting in a safer and more just Kenya for all,” said President Kenyatta.
President Kenyatta noted that the lab would be key in disrupting criminal patterns through application of science in advanced crime scene techniques, documentation, proper handling of exhibits while maintaining the chain of custody through utilisation of scientifically validated equipment in compliance with the guidelines of the United Nations office on Drugs and Crime.
The head of state also noted that the multi-agency and intelligence led approach adopted by the government in the fight against crime had borne the desired results especially in the fight against terrorism resulting to a higher conviction rate of terror related cases presented before court.
President Kenyatta noted that Kenya had become a global leader in technology, with digital economy being one of the country’s key driver of the economy that had created enormous opportunities and employment to millions of Kenyans.
On this score, he observed that in 2021 mobile money transactions surged by 63% to a record 15.3 trillion up from 9.391 trillion in 2020 as Kenyans continue to digitize how they conducted their businesses.
This he said had provided an opportunity for a new wave of crime such as SIM swapping and the Tuma Kwa Hii Number Syndicate.
In this regard, the Head of State directed the Ministry of Interior in collaboration with the Ministry of ICT through the Communications of Kenya Universal Service fund, to come up with a plan on how the Forensic Cyber Crime Unit can be strengthened further to deal with such crimes.
