The police command in Oyo, in collaboration with civil society organisations, has called for the integration of modern forensic practices into policing methods to ensure effective investigation and prosecution of gender-based crimes.

Police commissioner Johnson Adenola said this at a day of capacity building on forensics in gender-specific crime investigation and prosecution.

The programme was jointly sponsored by Savingcross Justicepoint Foundation and Living World Mission for selected police officers.

The police commissioner, while declaring the workshop open in Ibadan, stated that integrating modern forensic practices into policing methods would empower personnel to serve with excellence, integrity, and professionalism.

Forensics are scientific tests or techniques used to detect and solve crimes.

Mr Adenola noted that the importance of forensic science in criminal investigation remains paramount. He added that forensic evidence has proven instrumental in solving crimes, especially those involving gender-specific issues.

According to him, leveraging forensic tools and techniques can substantially enhance the outcomes of investigations and prosecutions.

The training facilitator, Uwom Eze, a forensic pathologist and clinical forensic physician at University College Hospital, Ibadan, stated that many cases were dismissed in court because the evidence was deemed not credible on technical grounds or due to evidence contamination.

He urged gender desk officers to align with a modern approach to address sexual violence issues so that citizens would have confidence in their privacy in the hands of the police officer handling their case.

He noted that the attitude and approach of officers must not further traumatise victims.

Earlier, the executive director of SJF, Oluwaseun Folajuwon-Banjo, said the foundation sponsored the workshop to promote justice and dignity and protect the vulnerable, especially women, children and survivors of violence.

Similarly, the country lead at LIWOM, Marcus Williams, said that most times, some of the evidence for the prosecution of alleged sexual offenders is lost while some prosecutorial strength gets destroyed because officers handling the case did not know the right thing to do.

(NAN)