IPOA wants DCI’s forensic laboratory made independent

The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) on Wednesday appeared before the  National Dialogue Committee (NDC) at the Bomas of Kenya to submit its memoranda.

Led by the authority's chairperson Ann Makori, the team said many times they have faced challenges while seeking to get hard facts from the police to investigate their colleagues’ misconduct.

As a result, IPOA has suggested to the NDC to ensure the forensic laboratory which is domiciled at the DCI headquarters to be made independent to limit police influence, saying they don't have faith in it as currently instituted.

“We have made a proposal that this forensic laboratory should be given autonomy away from DCI so that it does its job. Not only for the police, there are many other organisations that would want to use the lab,” IPOA submitted.

IPOA revealed that at times, the reports availed to them by police are doctored in favour of the officers they are probing, a move which has adversely affected their delivery.

“Domiciling it strictly under IG hampers our work because the DCI are part and parcel of police.”

The police watch unit accused Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome of constantly abusing his powers and the National Police Service (NPS) of being partisan when conducting their duties.

IPOA says it has received 237 complaints with 57 deaths formally registered during the anti-govt protests that rocked the country between March 2023 and July 2023.

At the same time the authority pleaded with the NDC to let them also have prosecutorial powers to avoid the delays in justice administration.

The IPOA also wants their mandate to be expanded to cover other security personnel and the authority be fully entrenched in the constitution.

Among other special groups which have appeared before the NDC are Wajir Community members, Maendeleo Ya Wanawake even as more stakeholders are lined up this afternoon.