Attorney General Backs Controversial Forensic Services Bill Despite Stakeholder Concerns

On March 16, the Attorney General communicated to Parliament’s Clerk his support for the Forensic and Scientific Analytical Services Bill, 2025, aimed at regulating forensic and scientific analytical services across Uganda.

Stakeholders including the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), Uganda Police Force, Ministry of Health, and Parliament’s Committee on Defence and Internal Affairs raised significant issues. A concerned citizen also questioned the bill’s underlying motives.

Forensic services are vital for justice and delivered by police, the Government Analytical Laboratory, and health facilities, each with unique roles. Doubts persist on whether one law can unify these functions effectively.

This bill follows the withdrawal of the Forensic Evidence Bill, 2024, in February 2025 for revisions. Published in May 2025, it largely ignores prior feedback, such as calls for an independent regulatory body akin to international models.

The bill focuses narrowly on the Government Analytical Laboratory, sidelining police investigative duties and Ministry of Health services like post-mortem exams and specimen analysis for sexual violence cases.

It assigns regulation to the Department of Inspection and Legal Services under the Ministry of Internal Affairs, potentially clashing with health laws and police constitutional mandates. The DPP warned this could undermine criminal investigations.

The Ministry of Health suggested a multi-stakeholder expert committee instead. The AG insists on this department due to a government moratorium on new agencies, aiming to enforce lab standards.

However, experts doubt the department’s capacity to oversee police and health services. The DPP emphasized laws must target specific problems, finding none clearly defined in the bill’s memo or text.

Persistent forensic issues like result credibility, capacity gaps, logistics, and poor coordination remain unaddressed, with the bill criticized as flawed without global benchmarking.

Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)