The Guyana Forensic Science Laboratory (GFSL) processed more than 100 pieces of evidence in the first quarter of this year and systems are in place to ensure that its services are not interrupted during the new Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
This is according to Director of the GFSL, Delon France, who in a recent telephone interview with Stabroek News said that from January to early April, a total of 115 pieces of evidence were processed.
Giving a breakdown for the previous years, France said in 2019 the GFSL processed evidence from 512 cases. Of that amount, there were more than 4000 pieces of evidence, he said.
In 2018, there were 518 cases and 551 in the previous year.
France explained that in some instances, there might be a large amount of evidence coming from one case. “For example, for one case we had 300 samples. So while we had 551, it’s not 551 pieces of evidence. But sometimes a case might have more than one piece of evidence to be tested,” France said.
“You might go on a scene, a murder scene, you see a towel, you see a piece of wood on the ground…all those things are different pieces that you pick up but then they have to be packaged individually and then we have to test them individually. Some-times there might be a case involving the same murder but it’s murder with a firearm. So that one case, two sets of things going on. You have blood to deal with and you have the shells and these other things,” France explained.
According to France, the evidence is processed using an alphanumeric system. “When a case comes in, it comes with a number,” he said.
As such, in most instances, personnel at the lab are not aware of what cases they are handling since details of the evidence is not provided to them. “…Only an alphanumeric code or marking which is known by the police who know the specific case associated with the code or marking”, France said.
He noted that it is the police who have knowledge about the details of the evidence.
The GFSL was commissioned in 2014 with four departments – toxicology, documents, trace evidence and Chemistry and six non-analytical departments – security, quality system, information system, facilities operation, evidence and administration.
France said that with the facilities in place, the GFSL has the capability of performing a number of tests that are all critical to crime fighting.
The toxicology department deals with poison cases, the chemistry department deals with the illegal narcotic substances while the document department is tasked with examining forged currencies and document.
The trace evidence is involved in blood identification, body fluid identification and gunshot residue. There is also equipment to compare bullets or spent shells, hair fibres and any other substances which can be compared.
France said the GFSL will soon embark on occupational health screening which includes the screening of individuals before they become members of the Guyana Police Force.
The initiative, France said was one that was in the pipeline for this year, but was delayed due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
“It would have been about 75 to 80 percent but in light of what happened, it kind of affected that,” he said.
Currently, police recruits are being tested for the use of drugs at the force’s forensic laboratory, Eve Leary.
DNA testing
In June 2019, the GFSL commenced DNA testing following the acquisition of a key piece of equipment.
The DNA testing, which is the lab’s latest initiative entails comparison with or matching evidence to a suspect, family testing – where the family’s DNA can be used to identify a suspect, even if the suspect’s DNA is unavailable – and paternity testing.
Cheek cells, semen, vaginal secretions, hair, blood and touch DNA are among the samples that can be collected and submitted for testing.
According to France, DNA testing continues. As of end of March this year, he said the GFSL received twelve samples to be processed. “Mostly murders, body parts that were found unidentified,” France said.
He explained that DNA samples are processed as they are received from the Guyana Police Force. “DNA testing is being done based on request. So if a request comes in, we can and will process it,” he said.
The DNA testing equipment and a Gunshot Residue (GSR) testing device, together costing US$465,000 were sourced from an Italy-based company through funding from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, in June 2019, Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan had said that the ceremony is a testament to government’s commitment to continually improve public safety through the adoption of modern technologies and scientific approaches.
“A key aim of our government is to provide the best tools for law enforcement so that they can be able to identify, apprehend and prosecute criminals swiftly and effectively. To do so government is making every effort to incorporate these new technologies,” he had said.
He had noted that the DNA equipment will also help to prove persons’ innocence and said that the GSR device, which is integral in gun crimes and can be used to test residue on glass, paint and other elements from crime scenes through comparative analysis, can help to provide investigational leads.
Stressing the usefulness of DNA testing, Ramjattan had said that it is expected that some cold cases such as murder, rape and unidentified human remains could be resolved.
However, to date, a number of cold cases remains unsolved.
One such case is that of bank employee Sheema Mangar, who was killed in broad daylight as she pursued a man who moments earlier had robbed her of her cellular phone more than nine years ago.
Mangar mother, Radica Thakoor had told Stabroek News earlier this year that she was constantly lied to by the police about the DNA testing in her daughter’s case. She had said that she is even under the impression that it was Mangar’s case that highlighted the need for a local lab.
”Actually me must be say that how me daughter must be lay down she life because all them lies wah them told me, them end up and had to build that forensic lab. Because ah all the lies wah them told me dah forensic lab actually build,” Thakoor had said.
DNA testing has been a vital aspect of the police investigation into many criminal cases.
It was the GFSL that was used in order to determine whether the charred remains which were found on the afternoon of November 1st in the trunk of a torched car at Letter T, Mahaicony was that of missing witness Colin Rodney.
Following the discovery, DNA samples were taken for testing. Less than two months after, it was confirmed that the remains were those of Rodney.
Prior to the construction of the GFSL, samples had to be sent overseas for testing. In the majority of cases, there were delays in receiving the results for as long as months or even years. This was particularly so in the case of the Lindo Creek massacre.
COVID-19 measures
France told Stabroek News that in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the lab continues to function and measures have been implemented to safeguard the staff and to ensure that the services of the GFSL are not affected.
“We have put systems in place to avoid interruption of service. So our service continues as it is, there is no interruption,” he said.
He noted that there has been a decrease in the number of staff at work at one time. “The non-essentials are at home and the essentials are at work,” France said.
In terms of the administrative personnel, France noted that an arrangement is in place whereas they are required to report to work at least once a week to fulfill their duties.
“So basically the lab is functioning in a way whereby all the persons are on call. They are at home…. In light of the recent COVID-19 pandemic, we would have put systems in place. One of which is, we have all the staff be at home. However, whenever there is a case for instance whereby a police officer would like to submit or receive evidence, we would make arrangement for that person to come in the office and they would issue or receive,” France explained.
In terms of receiving of evidence, France noted that systems are also in place for the staff members to check whether evidence is there to be processed. If there is, he said then they would need to come into the lab.
“Once it is being received, staff members have access to certain systems where they can check and see what is there and whenever evidence is there to be processed in the individual department…each person from those department will check. When they see that cases are there for them to process, they would come out, process it and have the results available for whenever the police decide to come and collect it,” he added.
Generally, France noted that works at the lab have slowed down but did not stop. “Criminals are continuing to ply their trade and so the police will have work to do and then once the police have work to do, we have work to do,” he said.
In terms of uplifting the results, France noted that there has been a slowdown which is likely due to the fact that court is not sitting as per normal.
“There has been a slowdown in terms of results being uplifted for high profile cases such as murder, and narcotics due to the court system. However, results are available to be uplifted whenever the need arise,” he said.
