Lagos Assembly Passes Bill On DNA, Forensic Centre

A bill for a law establishing Lagos State Deoxyribo-Nucleic Acid (DNA) and Forensic Centre to support criminal investigations, law enforcement, and preservation of evidence for the judicial system and for other connected purposes was on Monday passed by Lagos State House of Assembly.

The bill was passed by the House after it scaled the third reading at plenary with all lawmakers in attendance giving their approvals.

The report on the bill had been adopted at an earlier sitting presided over by the speaker, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa.

Part of the objectives of the centre includes: to provide for the use and regulation of DNA based technology in Lagos State in order to carry out profiling or analysis.

The centre is also expected to carry out other forensic disciplines including, toxicology, drug chemistry, fingerprint examination, firearms examination, tool mark examination, ballistics, trace evidence analysis, questioned document examination and digital forensics to obtain evidence relevant to the investigation of criminal offences.
“Provide for the use of DNA profiles in the investigation of crime and the use of such profiles in proving the innocence or guilt of persons and provide for the conditions under which the samples for DNA profiles may be retained or destroyed.

The bill gives powers to the centre to take specified bodily samples from certain categories of persons for the purposes of DNA analysis; collect, examine, document and preserve evidence which can later be used in the identification of offenders amongst others.