Laboratory
By Uwumarogie Peter
Gombe, June 12, 2018 (NAN) Dr Nuhu Bile, Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) / Gender Based Violence (GBV) Focal Person, State Specialist Hospital, Gombe, has recommended the establishment of special laboratory in Police stations to handle investigation of rape cases in the state.
Bile told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gombe on Tuesday that rape was becoming too rampant in the state.
” I recommend that special laboratory be established within police stations so that a rape case can be examined by a specialist to get more evidence to aid police investigations.
” If this is done, it will reduce the number of perpetrators of rape that end up winning cases in court for lack of evidence from the police.
“With such special laboratory, there would be speedy clinical examination before the body of the abused heals, and this will give more medical evidence to support the police in court against perpetrators of rape.
“With this laboratory, when rape cases are reported within the next 24 hours that the body is still active, enough evidence can be collected within the same venue,” he said.
He said the aim was to ensure that the evidence needed in court to prosecute perpetrators did not fade.
According to him, reporting early has some legal and health benefit to the person who has been abused sexually.
“From January to June I, have received over 30 cases; rape has taken more of the cases I treat as a Gender-Based Violence Focal Person.
“The bureaucratic process of interrogating survivors of rape by officers to get vital information, as well as the time taken to get the abused to hospital for clinical examinations may give enough time for wounds to heal,” he said.
He said that this would reduce the chances of getting more evidence to nail the perpetrators of this heinous crime, adding that reporting early to hospital has legal and health benefits to the survivors.
Mr Mohammed Abari, Assistant Chief Investigation Officer, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Gombe Office, said late reporting of rape cases erased vital evidence that could aid prosecution of culprits in court.
He advised that rape cases should be reported early to enable the police capture the scene in a way that would give them an advantage in court.
NAN recalls that Gov. Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe had on April 17, decried the rising cases of rape in the state, saying two to three cases were reported daily in the state.(NAN)
UP/JPE/ASH
Edited by Joseph Edeh
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