Fervent forensic scientist

Sophie Mukwana, 33, was instrumental in identifying bodies of the Nakumatt fire tragedy victims and helps solve puzzles in rape cases. She spoke to KIUNDU WAWERU about her intriguing job

Sophie is by all means an ordinary woman. However, her career of choice intrigues many, and she is always fielding questions, even from the police. A forensic scientist, Sophie founded the first-ever private forensics company in the country, Biotech Forensics Ltd in 2007, together with Lynne Farah, who has since left.

As a forensic scientist, Sophie spends most of her time in the lab, hunched over samples including human, plants and animal origins from which she develops DNA profiles.

The bubbly scientist

The DNA samples, or fingerprints, are used for various forensic identification including identification of potential suspects whose DNA may match evidence left at a crime scene, establish paternity and also identify crime and catastrophe victims, among other applications.

For the latter, after the Nakumatt fire tragedy in 2009, Sophie and her partner helped identify the victims, whose remains had been charred by the fire. This episode introduced the duo to Kenyans, but Sophie still crunches from the memory.

"It was our first major calling yet, but the most traumatic. We identified about 29 victims of the fire, in the most difficult of circumstances," from her expression it is clear she is not comfortable dwelling on that subject.

But what readers will be familiar with, thanks to the TV dramas big in our screens, is use of forensics to identify crime suspects. CSI Miami and other TV programmes have become popular, but to burst your bubble, Sophie works begin at the lab, after the police have collected all the evidence.

Collecting evidence

"In Kenya, the police are the only entity charged with managing crimes scenes and collecting evidence relating to the crime," she says, adding that in other countries, non-police personnel may be involved in collecting evidence from the crime scene but whoever is responsible for collection of evidence must be well trained, whether he is a sworn officer or not.

"When the police have a pressing investigation they want to wind up, they sometimes contract me, though not regularly," she explains. Also private individuals hire her services for investigations, in which case the police provide samples.

However, Sophie moans that despite the forensic science having the ability to crack crime; it has not caught up in Kenya as it should.

"The biggest problem is the management of crime scenes, which should be barricaded as soon as it happens. But here in Kenya, before the police get to the scene, people would already be all over the place, trampling the evidence," she says.

She also adds forensics science can come handy in solving many rape cases, if reported immediately, before the victims shed off the evidence, "even a strand of the suspects’ hair, found in the victim, can help identify him," she says.

If crime scene forensics investigation is not popular in Kenya, Sophie says paternity testing is big on client’s requests, "this is where I try to determine whether a man is the biological father of a child," she explains adding that as her company becomes known, she has noticed a rising interest.

Could this mean that men no longer trust their wives, or perhaps the trend points towards eroding family morals?

Paternity test

"I don’t know if the question is one of mistrust between couples," Sophie is quick of a disclaimer, adding: "but what I can say is that DNA testing in the area of family relationships offers answers where before there was a lot of doubt. It provides information which empowers people to make decisions".

Indeed, this is a unique field. One which Sophie says she could count on one hand the number of female forensic scientists in the country, "but there is a lot of interest in the field nowadays and I would imagine it has something to do with the CSI shows on TV."

She however says that the CSI shows are exaggerated, and she watches crime investigation channels like the one on BBC, which features real stories.

So what led her to study forensics, and start her own company?

"After my studies in the US, Masters in Forensic Science, I returned home in 2007 with the hope of joining the Government Chemist Laboratories in Nairobi," she remembers.

Fortunately or unfortunately, there were no vacancies in her area of interest and after some deliberations she found that her best option was to a start forensic consulting firm.

A challenge

In US, Sophie had worked in two analytical labs, but not in forensics for as she says getting employment there is not easy; "You have to be vetted because you will be working primarily in government labs. And of course, employment opportunities are limited to US citizens," she offers.

Her greatest challenge is the expensive lab equipment, which she has had to source from abroad.

She is philosophical about her journey so far: "Like most people starting out a business, I have to remind myself that I’m a success thus far, I have succeeded in trying, I have implemented this dream.

Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night thinking of just how far I can go; other times I worry about the rent."

But perhaps her positive energy is drawn from her childhood, which she says was a lot of fun. Then, her priority was how many different games she could play in a day. She attended State House Primary School, then State House Girls before transferring to Loreto Convent Msongari. Then she went to Aga Khan Academy for her A levels.

But it is at the California State University, Fresno, that her interest in science flourished and she studied for a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry before moving to the University of California, Davis, where she attained the Master’s degree in Forensic Science.

Sophie says forensic science comes handy in matters health and they offer services in cervical cancer screening, a critical preventive measure.

And to consolidate the handful of women forensic scientists, Sophie and her partner started The Kenya Forensic Science, as a networking opportunity for those who were practicing in the field.

After a long day in the lab, wrestling with DNA, Sophie likes to go home, and curl up with a good book.

She gives glowing tribute to her role model, her mother: "The hardest working woman I know."

For closing remarks, she says: "Life is short, do what you want to do, not what you think you should do."