Why this laxity in securing key evidence?

This newspaper has, for a while now, expressed public concern that the growing threat to national security is a police force that is incompetent, poorly equipped, demoralised, and corrupt.

This warning was made tongue-in-cheek because the Kenya Police operate under difficult conditions, and face major hurdles, including poor housing, lack of equipment, low remuneration, and unfair promotions.

Yes, the police have a tough job to do and they are simply too few of them to do it. Even in these tough conditions, there are many dedicated and hardworking members of the force who wake up every day to live up to their motto Utumishi kwa Wote (Service to All). Many face the bullets of ruthless criminals, including gangsters, and drug dealers without a second thought.

Unfortunately, the good work of these many loyal and efficient police officers is too easily forgotten when a few of their colleagues who have long since abandoned respect for their oath of office, engage in actions that paint a poor image of the force.

Much as one understands the operating environment of the police, they, too,  must not forget that a majority of Kenyans  wake up every morning not knowing where their next meal will come from, but nevertheless resist the temptation to break the law just to make ends meet.

When it comes to grave matters of national security the police cannot be allowed to compromise their integrity, especially now when Kenya is fighting in Somalia against Al Shabaab.

Nothing is more frightening than when police “misplace” critical evidence in a terror case as has happened in the matter involving two Iranians who stand accused of being behind a plot to attack innocent Kenyans.

The fact the police claim to have “misplaced” the evidence is extremely worrying. We are talking about explosives that could reduce an entire block of high-rise buildings to rubble in the centre of Nairobi and kill hundreds of people in the process.

As a country that has been on the receiving end of several terror attacks since 1998, it is shocking that the police who are entrusted with national security can treat  such matters with a nonchalance bordering on the criminal.

If it is true that packs of explosive material were not even recorded in the Occurrence Book, it would confirm that indeed that some police officers have thrown protocol out of the window when it comes to investigations.

It also explains why nowadays, when police arrive at the scene of a crime, more often than not they do not bother with the basic things like dusting the area for fingerprints or even just securing the scene and evidence to await the arrival of the Scene of Crime detectives from the Criminal Investigations Department.

When police opt to take shortcuts and throw out the rule book, it is highly unlikely that they will get convictions even in cases where the evidence would initially appear to be overwhelming to the casual observer.

Incompetence

But then, this is not the first time for a court to expose glaring incompetence by police in an investigation of a serious crime, and it will not be the last.

Several criminal cases have been dismissed by judges and magistrates in the recent past because the police either failed to follow procedure or “misplaced” evidence crucial to the cases. Experienced and retired police officers will tell you that evidence just does not go missing unless it was intended to in the first place. In the chain of evidence gathering and logging, someone, somewhere holds the answers.

Today several parts of Nairobi is experiencing a crime wave of unprecedented proportions, including car jacking, and home invasions  as we head into elections. This is sending the wrong message to investors.

Even worse, many victims are not bothering to report crimes because they believe police investigations will head nowhere. This has emboldened the criminals; some are now suspected to be working with corrupt elements in the Police.

Kenyans need a reassurance by the police top command that the force can be trusted. Such assurance can only come in the form of proper investigations and arrest of suspects. It is the least that they deserve.