Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki on Friday, April 14, gazetted the names of 31 officers approved to serve as fingerprint experts.
The CS, through a gazette notice dated April 5, appointed the officers to hold different ranks within the department contained under the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.
"In exercise of the powers conferred by section 142 (2) of the Criminal Procedure Code, the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration gazettes the mentioned officers as fingerprint experts," read part of the notice.
Some of the listed officers include Esther Nyaga, Jeremiah Gitonga, Hezron M. Wafula, Beatrice Ong'idi, Catherine W. Mwangi, Elizabeth W. Kiarie, Fercy L. Kigehi, Felix O. Onyango, Margaret Wambeii, Lea w. Mwanadami, Mutunga Mbindyo, Leah W Njoroge, Ochuonyo O. Bernard, Daniel M. Njoroge and Luke O. Odongo.
Others were Winfred Ntinyari Kirai, George N. Ndungu, Robert M. Githima, Leonard Chepkwony, Jessy K. Malalu, Ferdinanrd A. Luvumbe, Janet J. Rono, Abdulrahim A. Athuman, Catherine K. Murungi, Edinah Wepukhulu, John M.
Fingerprint experts are tasked with providing forensic fingerprint evidence in courts of law, data compilation and report writing on crime, establishing and maintaining pathology files, custody, and maintenance of criminal records.
Other functions include identifying unknown deceased bodies, applying Forensic Fingerprint Science Technology to analyse palm, finger, foot, and toe impressions for the purpose of Issuance of Police Clearance Certificates, compilation, publications, and distribution of the Kenya Police Gazette and issuance of Certificate of Previous Convictions linking the criminal with crime scene impressions
On April 13, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Deputy Director Ireri Kamwende presided over the official opening of a Basic Fingerprint Technology Course at the DCI Academy.
The training was expected to bring together the DCI and the Kenya Defence Forces and was tailored towards enhancing the participants' capacity to investigate cases involving fingerprint identification.
Fingerprint identification was ranked as one of the most fundamental steps in the identification of suspects and linking them to a crime scene.
"After the classes, pass on the knowledge to your counterparts to improve service delivery to the people we serve," Kamwende stated.
DCI Academy Commandant Gatiria Mboroki called upon the participants from both institutions to take full advantage of the course.
