By Tajeu Shadrack Nkapapa
A delegation comprising Heads of Ballistics from member states of the East African Community visited the Ballistics Section of the National Forensic Laboratory today for a benchmarking session organized by Interpol.
Ms. Rosemary Kuraru, the Director of Forensic Services at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, warmly welcomed the Ballistics leaders from Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi, and South Sudan, while the head of the Rwandan ballistics section participated in the meeting virtually
Following a concise presentation on the functions of the National Forensic Laboratory services, the attendees toured the Ballistics laboratory for an educational experience, during which the Kenyan ballistics specialists provided an in-depth explanation of the intricate equipment, including the Integrated Ballistics Identification System (IBIS).
“The Director Forensic acknowledged the importance of such meetings, noting that they’ll go a long way in ensuring that forensic laboratories within the East African Community (EAC) are well-equipped with modern equipment that will offer solutions to complex criminal cases,” the DCI said on an X post.
“The Ballistics heads will also be discussing implementation of an Integrated East African Ballistics investigation network with funding from the European Union, to be implemented by Interpol in partnership with the EAC, with the ultimate goal of sharing ballistics information in the region to combat cross border crimes,” the DCI added.
In attendance at the meeting was Mr. Apollo Afrika, the Head of the Interpol Regional Bureau for East Africa, along with other heads of the National Forensic Laboratory Unit, including Mr. Lawrence Nthiwa, the Officer in Charge of Ballistics.