DNA Test Before Will Part 4

Dear Reader,

I have been waiting to know what the outcome of the Forensic DNA analysis would be. I wonder how Mary must be feeling.

Is this your first time reading from us? Here’s a recap (or you can click the following links below for parts 1, 2 and 3). Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

Mary is a single mum who was in a relationship with the alleged father of her child, John. John is now late but, in his will, he asked for a paternity test to be conducted on Mary’s son before receiving his own share of John’s property. A paternity test was done using the buccal swab samples from the late John’s father and John’s alleged son.

The result comes out and it is a shocker. John and Mary’s son are in no way related. Mary is devastated yet sure that John was her son’s real father. She can’t question the credibility of the result because the analysis was handled by the Lagos State DNA and Forensic Center, a center known for accuracy and credibility. So instead, she tells John’s lawyer that she wants John’s direct sample used, as opposed to John’s father’s buccal swab that was initially used for the test.

The only possible way to use John’s sample is to exhume his body. The family gets an exhumation order, his body is exhumed, and a bone fragment is collected and sent to the Lagos State DNA and Forensic Center. A buccal swab is also collected again from Mary’s son.

“Sir, this is going to be a Forensic DNA Analysis, and it will be a more rigorous process”, said the Forensic DNA Analyst to the Lawyer, at the Lagos State DNA and Forensic Center on the faithful morning Mary took her son for the second buccal swab collection.

Mary asks the analyst “How long will it take before the report is out”? The DNA Analyst says, “8 -12 weeks ma”. Mary isn’t too happy because 8-12 weeks sounds like forever considering what is on ground. The lawyer looks at her and says “Madam, remember this is what you wanted”.

11 weeks later, the lawyer gets a call from the DNA analyst at the center to pick up the forensic report. “Wow, it didn’t even take up to 12 weeks o, I’ll be there first thing tomorrow morning,” said the lawyer. The moment he hung up, he called the late John’s family, and Mary, and asked that they all meet at the late John’s house.

The next day came very fast. He picked up the report, which was perfectly sealed, and headed straight to John’s house. Everyone was eager but Mary was even more eager to find out the truth.

The lawyer unwrapped the result, glanced through the pages and spotted the part labeled “Conclusion”. He immediately read it out loud, “The alleged father cannot be excluded as the biological father of the child. Based on the DNA result obtained from the above loci, the probability of paternity is 99.99%.”

The moment the lawyer was done reading, Mary screamed, “I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!”

Dear Reader, if the result, after using late John’s DNA for this second test, proves that the Late John was the father of Mary’s son, it can only mean one thing. John’s father, whose sample was used the first time, is not John’s biological father. Shocked? You should be. Only a DNA Analysis could have unraveled this truth. Like they say, “Science doesn’t take sides, it shines the light on what already is”.

Now that the DNA Analysis has proved that John is the biological father of Mary’s son, he will now be given his own share of property, which he will gain access to once he clocks 18.

The room is suddenly quiet as the man who believed he was John’s father stares at his wife with so much disappointment. What explanation will she give? Dear Reader, we can only wish that it ends well for her. At least we rest assured that the bone of contention, the paternity of Mary’s son, is resolved.

Remember that if a child’s paternity is in question or if there’s a dispute like this, which only science can answer, the Lagos State DNA & Forensic Center will be more than willing to help.

Contact us on 08147411921 or send an email to info@lsdfc.org.

6th Annual Lagos Forensic Symposium on October 19-20

LFS

The Lagos Forensic Symposium (LFS; www.laforensic.org) organizing invites you to attend the 2022 Symposium. LFS 2022 will be held at The Providence by Mantis, 12A Oba Akinjobi Way, Ikeja, GRA, Lagos, Nigeria, from October 19 – 20, 2022.

LFS is an international forensic symposium organized by the Lagos State Government, Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Lagos State DNA & Forensic Center, ITSI – Biosciences, LLC and the German Agency for International Development (GIZ). It provides a platform where leading forensic scientists and other stakeholders interact and exchange knowledge and experience.

The core mission of LFS is to bring law enforcement, judiciary, lawyers, university faculty, forensic scientists, medical doctors, nurses, Immigration services, correctional services, social services, press and other stakeholders together, to discuss local, regional and global crime trends, and exchange information on how forensic science can be applied in the African setting to support the criminal justice system.

Each symposium features leading experts with cognate experience in different aspects of forensics. Over 200 participants from 18 Countries attended the 2021 symposium. Participants included Senior Government Officials, Judges, Police, Emergency Service workers, Forensic Pathologists, Prosecutors, Defense Attorneys, Customs and Immigration Services, Correctional Services, Military, Non-Government Organizations, University Lecturers, Students and Press.

LFS focuses on forensic practice and its application to resolve real cases. Presentations this year will cover the following areas:

  • Forensic Evidence in Court
  • Murder Investigations
  • Sexual Assault Investigations
  • Disaster Victim Identification
  • Suicide Investigations
  • Fire and Accident Investigations

To encourage the participation of stakeholders there is no fee to attend LFS 2022. However, registration is mandatory.  Space is extremely limited so act fast. Registration will close once the number of registered participants hits 130. If you are interested in presenting a paper, please send a title for consideration to info@laforensic.org  no later than September 23, 2022.

Registration is open. To register please go to www.laforensic.org and register by October 14, 2022. Please contact us by email (info@laforensic.org) or phone (+234-814-741-1921) if you have any question.

Specialized DNA Collection and Handling Training on March 1

DNA testing can provide answers to questions, in areas such as biological relationship, genealogy, ancestry, medicine, forensic science and more. Successful and reliable testing requires proper collection and handling of the DNA sample to avoid breakdown, contamination and unreliable results.
As a solution focused company, Concurrent Technologies and Services, along with LSD&FC, is committed to bringing tailored DNA and Forensics solutions closer to individuals and organizations that need it. It is on this premise that we are organizing a specialized training on March 1, 2022, for our strategic DNA Partners in Abuja.
Our partners are reputable hospitals and labs located in various parts of Abuja. They will be adequately trained in many areas including, DNA collection, packaging, preservation, chain-of-custody, and client relations, after which they will become Certified DNA Collection Centers.  
This exercise will ensure that the community they serve will have access to experienced DNA test providers, state-of-the-art technologies as well as accurate and reliable DNA results. It brings our services closer, and makes it easily accessible to our customers in the Federal Capital Territory.

One more victim of Ikoyi building collapse identified

Forensic expert, Dr Richard Somiari, has informed an Ikeja Coroner’s Court that one of the five hitherto unidentified victims of the Nov. 1, 2021, 21-story building collapse at Gerard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, has now been identified.

The News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) reports that with this the number of unidentified victims now stands at four.

Somiari, who is the Director of the Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre, said this on Friday while testifying as to the eighth coroner witness at the inquest.

NAN also reports that testifying during proceedings on Thursday, the seventh coroner witness who is the acting Chief Medical Examiner of Lagos State, Dr Sokunle Soyemi had told the Coroner’s Court that five of the 50 victims were still unidentified.

Led in evidence by the counsel to the Lagos State government, Mr Akin George, the forensic expert said he received news on his way to the inquest that a DNA match had been established for one out of the five unidentified deceased.

“We received 57 unique samples. In disasters, there could be dismemberment and we may not have 57 bodies.

“We got a total of 102 reference samples from all families that presented and still counting because we might still need some more samples.

“Using those reference samples, we were previously able to identify 45 bodies.

“There are three bodies that have generated DNA profiles, but no reference profiles have matched those profiles.

“In such a situation, we will invite additional family members or use of personal belongings like toothbrushes to establish identity,” Somiari said.

Throwing light on why four of the deceased are yet to be identified, he revealed that profiles had been generated from the bodies, “but profiles generated from the family references did not match.

“The claimed biological reference is not what science is showing. We will use other methods like personal effects from any missing person suspected to be in the building collapse.

“This is the challenge we are facing. In most disasters, you cannot use DNA all the time to complete identification.”

Somiari, however, said the process of identifying the unknown deceased was ongoing, and additional biological material would be used to identify the bodies.

He noted that the likelihood of a DNA mismatch for all that died in the building collapse was very slim.

Under cross-examination by the counsel to the African Women Lawyers Association, Mrs Amanda Demechi-Asagba, Somiari revealed some of the challenges faced in identifying some of the deceased.

“Some families may be unaware that their loved ones are missing.

“That is why in disasters, all bodies are not always identified. There might be alternative methods that could be explored.

“That is the limitation of DNA as a reference because you will always need a reference,” he said.

The Coroner, Mr Oyetade Komolafe, adjourned proceedings until Feb. 25 for the continuation of the hearing.

NAN reports that of the three high-rise buildings (Blocks A, B, and C), which were situated on Gerard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, Block B (21-storeys) collapsed, killing 50 persons.

One of the deceased was Mr Femi Osibona, the Managing Director of Fourscore Heights Ltd., the contractor of the project.

Read this article on the Guardian: https://guardian.ng/news/one-more-victim-of-ikoyi-building-collapse-identified-forensic-expert/

Otedola Bridge fire: 8 families show up for DNA testing

Eight families have showed up for DNA testing in connection with the Otedola Link Bridge fire.

The Head of the Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre, Dr Richard Somiari, made the disclosure in an interview with the Newsmen on Thursday in Lagos.

Somiari, a forensic expert, said that more families were still expected to visit the facility in connection with the deadly explosion that occurred on June 28.

“There are two categories of people that come for the testing, those who believe strongly that their family member died and needs to be identified.

“The other category includes people who just do not know because the family person is missing.

“So, we will expect that those two categories of people will come.

Somiari said that the duration needed to complete the DNA process and results interpreted could not be ascertained because of protocols that must be followed, due to the magnitude of the accident.

According to him, there are two processes involved, including the actual DNA matching and the process by the pathologist, who takes samples from the remains that were recovered.

“The actual process in our laboratory is fast. The thing is the quality of the sample that is coming from the victim.

“So, until we get those samples from the pathologist we do not know how long it will take.

“If it is significantly degraded, then it means we have to go through multiple steps of isolation and clean up before we do the profile generation.

“These samples are not as clean as reference samples and we do not want to make a mistake in the process.

“We realise that everybody will like to get the result fast and bring a closure to this but at the same time we want to be careful. “

On July 2, the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris, confirmed that 12 people died in the incident.

Idris said the government would be conducting DNA forensic studies so that the right bodies could be handed over to the appropriate families for proper burial.

According to him, the entire cost of management and treatment of the surviving victims and DNA forensics for the dead and their families would be borne by the state government. (NAN)

Read the story here: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/07/otedola-bridge-fire-8-families-show-up-for-dna-testing/