Victims urged to preserve criminal evidence
What you need to know:
- Lack of evidence was a major challenge facing citizens and law enforcement organs.
Lindi. The Chief Government Chemist Laboratory Agency (CGCLA) has urged citizens to preserve exhibits after crimes have been committed.
The advice aims at easing access to samples for laboratory tests that would prove the incidents before the courts beyond reasonable doubts.
The southern zone CGCLA’s manager, Mr Eliamin Mkenga made the statement during the ongoing Nanenane exhibitions in Ngongo area, Lindi Region.
He said CGCLA receives a lot of complaints from citizens, noting however that lack of evidence was a major challenge facing citizens and law enforcement organs.
Mr Mkenga said knowingly or out of evidence, citizens have been destroying evidence that could be used in court.
‘There are clients who report rape incidents after destroying evidence through bathing. As a result CGCLA is denied samples that would confirm the crime,” he said.
According to him, a large number of citizens don’t cooperate with the agency, even when asked to.
He said some of them hide or fail to unveil crime perpetrators, something that toughens the anti-crime crackdown crusade.
Furthermore, he called on victims to report to police stations, wards, village executive officers and community development officers in their respective areas, saying those authorities can quickly communicate to CGCLA.
“The CGCLA is equipped with modern equipment for laboratory examinations. Citizens should make better use the laboratory to unveil the truth including carrying Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) test,” he said.
A resident of Ng’apa in the Lindi Municipality Council, Mr Selemani Hamisi, asked authorities to take the agency’s services close to citizens.
“Considerations should be made to build offices in every district and increase the level of awareness among citizens because most Tanzanians are unaware of the agency and its functions,” he said.
