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{
    "id": 718872,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/718872/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 233,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Ababu",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 108,
        "legal_name": "Ababu Tawfiq Pius Namwamba",
        "slug": "ababu-namwamba"
    },
    "content": "Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, this is a good law because it is a transformative law. It is for laws such as this that we sit in this august House. We sit to pass laws that answer to mischief that makes society a perilous place for civilised human beings to live in. It is a good law because it provides a framework to resolve a challenge that requires the application of science diligently. They say that the dead tell no tales. So, when a human being loses a life in circumstances that raise serious plausible doubt or questions as to the nature of the death and clearly point to possibility of homicide, it is only through proper diligent application of forensic science that you can find answers to such questions. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, through the application of science, we could have found how a brilliant young man, Mr. Tito Adungosi, died in the hands of brutal state operatives. But because the dead tell no tales, and we did not apply forensic science, we will never know what happened. He was a fine son from Busia County. We will never know what happened to Dr. Robert Ouko, another fine son of our land, who lost his life in very mysterious circumstances that clearly pointed to homicide. Countless similar cases have left more questions than answers because of the casual or Machiavellian manner in which we handle homicides in this country. This law seeks to establish the National Coroners Service to provide a framework that can give us a way to apply forensic science and diligence in helping resolve cases such as those that I have mentioned. I must applaud those behind this piece of legislation. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, a few months ago, I stood at one of the morgues in this town to view a body of a young man that had been shot dead in his house in Dandora. After viewing the grisly outcome of that homicide, I sat down to make some inquiries. I talked to the police officers who were the first people to arrive at the scene of crime. It was shocking to hear stories of how the scene of crime was handled. It was very obvious that even with Angel Gabriel flying in from Heaven, it would have been impossible for him to find answers or to decipher any meaningful information from that scene of crime, which had been tampered and interfered with. The manner in which the body had been handled was in such a way that it would have been impossible for any forensic investigation to find answers to that grisly killing of that brilliant young man. Clause 39 of the Bill provides that a police officer or any person who is present at the time of death or who finds a dead body shall in addition to reporting the death under this Act or any other written law, preserve the scene of crime until the coroner or a member of the service presents himself or herself at the scene. Sub-Clause 2 of the Bill requires such a police officer to collect evidence that would be necessary for purposes of investigation of an offence that may have occurred in such homicide. This is a key clause that will place the burden of care on police officers in the manner in which they interact with scenes of crimes such that they will not only be persons who merely go to stand guard but they will be people who protect the scene of crime and assist in collection of forensic evidence. Those of us who indulge in watching crime investigative series are able to see how the western world handles these matters. Those of us who indulge in watching crime investigative series are able to see how the western world handles matters such as these. We are absolutely blown away by the diligence, care, attention to detail, precision similar to that applied by a neurosurgeon that is applied in investigation of cases such as these. For instance, when you watch things like cold cases, you are able to see application of forensic science that can unravel a homicide that happened 30 or 40 The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}