Government has partnered with the United States to set up the first forensic laboratory in Zambia. The overall value of the five-year Public-Private Partnership (PPP) is estimated at US$10m. The lab will be ready for use in August this year.
The PPP includes GRZ, US government, and the private sector partners Georgian Foundation, Sorensen Forensics, and Zambia Society for Child Protection. In the first year, the GRZ government will provide the largest contribution of nearly US$2m.
Home Affairs Minister Edgar Lungu says the lab will help save money and enable security officers to successfully prosecute criminal cases. The Government has spent billions of Kwacha on DNA and other tests undertaken outside the country due to lack of DNA forensic lab. The forensic lab will greatly help our officers to thoroughly investigate and gather evidence at scenes of crime. This will also make it easier to connect offenders to crimes
This is a great development. It is long overdue! It forms part of much need "targeted resourcing" in key specialist areas.
Two additional things that would be good to see : (a) Criminal Justice Inspectorate should be established to provide regular reports to Parliament on the state of policing and criminal justice system in the country; and, (b) Government research centre on corruption sponsored by the ACC & police focused on generating practical solutions to reducing corruption.
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