Mombasa to get modern Government Chemist lab

Only 66 DNA samples from more than 400 bodies retrieved from the Shakahola forest have been successfully matched with samples from families.

The national government says it cannot release the remaining bodies, which are still lying at the Malindi mortuary, because families have not yet come forward to claim them or provide DNA samples.

Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen urged affected families to come forward and submit their samples.

He made the appeal after a visit to the Government Chemist laboratory in Mombasa, where he witnessed the ongoing DNA analysis process.

Last month, there were reports that the delays in matching the DNA samples are caused by the lack of funds.

The high costs of tests also hinder the speed of DNA matching.

This, according to the government chemist, means the families will have to wait longer to identify the bodies.

However, on Monday, Murkomen said funds are not the major issue.

“The biggest problem is not funds. More people need to come out and give their DNA samples for matching,” the CS said.

He said the only place money is needed is in the government chemist and the DCI lab. This will help in forensic investigations.

“That is why I visited the government chemist in Mombasa and we have plans to build a more modern facility and ensure they get the latest equipment to ensure future investigations, not only for Shakahola, get dealt with effectively and efficiently,” Murkomen said.

Joseph Kimani, the head of forensic directorate, said because the Shakahola incident involved exhumed remains, the DNA in the bodies had become significantly degraded thereby requiring not only the ordinary extraction protocols.

“You have to use very highly stringent chemical regimens because the DNA within those exhumed remains, you suspect could be very highly degraded,” Kimani said.

When they were being exhumed, the Shakahola bodies were at varying stages of decomposition, complicating the DNA extraction process.

Kimani said there is an abundance of humic acid in the soil where the bodies were buried which degraded the DNA much quicker.

He said when the number of bodies from a scene is high, it makes it extremely tedious to undertake the DNA process because you require three times the number of bodies to compare with.

Due to the sheer number of bodies collected from the Shakahola forest, and the deteriorated state of the bodies, a Polymerase Chain Reaction test is required.

However, this test is not available in the country and the cost of outsourcing it is prohibitively high.

“The procurement processes are lengthy and the kits are expensive. One kit to just carry out 200 rounds is almost a million shillings,” Kimani said.