Lab a crime in itself: Popcru

Alleged widescale corruption and theft at the country's leading police forensic science laboratory is causing massive backlogs and preventing the finalisation of violent sexual assault cases, among others.

A detailed dossier compiled by the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union make allegations including that:

• Parts of a R46-million DNA database machine were sold for scrap metal;

• R500-million in narcotics evidence was stolen;

• There has beem widespread sexual harassment in the laboratory;

• Evidence for court cases has been sabotaged;

• Unqualified people have been promoted to positions of authority; and

• There have been deliberate attempts to disguise the true extent of the laboratory's backlog.

Popcru gave the dossier to national police commissioner General Riah Phiyega nearly two months ago .

Popcru chairman Vusi Shabalala said that, since then two whistle-blowers had been subjected to internal disciplinary hearings.

Shabalala said the DNA database machine was used for less than a year before it was decommissioned for an unspecified reason.

According to National Prosecuting Authority spokesman Vuyisile Calaza, DNA is crucial in proving the guilt of an accused in a sexual offence.

With DNA, Calaza said, the identity of the perpetrator can be proved beyond all doubt.

People Opposed to Woman Abuse director Nhlanhla Mokwena said: "Delays in justice traumatise rape survivors. If we had ready information available it would help solve so many more crimes."

A report by the Medical Research Council and the Centre for the Study of Violence said many sex crime trials ended in an acquittal because DNA reports were seldom available and the suspect's blood was rarely taken.

"We are fearful that these allegations are not being taken seriously," Shabalala said.

He said that corruption was a direct attack on democracy and amounted to treason.

"The laboratory is the bedrock for successful prosecutions. If evidence is destroyed, it will destroy justice."

Police spokesman, Brigadier Phuti Setati said the matter was receiving attention and the police union was being "engaged".

"We cannot discuss the contents [of the dossier] until the matter has been addressed," he said.

Police Department spokesman Zweli Mnisi said the minister had been briefed on the allegations.

"A meeting between the police and Popcru is scheduled. We hope the issues raised will be dealt with comprehensively," he said.