Thursday 07, June 2018, at Kacyiru District Hospital, Rwanda Forensic Laboratory was launched by Honorable Minister of Justice and Attorney General Busingye Johnston. This forensic laboratory is deemed an important addition in terms of providing scientific evidence and it is expected to help significantly slash the cost of evidence-gathering.

While launching the laboratory, Justice Minister Busingye Johnston said that the laboratory will be used in conducting tests in many areas. “We have been trying to build capacity for Forensic science over the last couple of years and are now happy to be where we are. We are not at 100 per cent but we can do any of the required tests in Rwanda, such as DNA tests, establishing the authenticity of documents, the presence of drugs, alcohol, or poison in one’s blood, fingerprint analysis, autopsies, and ballistics to identify firearms in case of crimes among other tests.” Busingye said.

Minister Busingye said that the lab will be providing services that are normally found in developed countries outside Africa and described the lab’s launch as a big day for Rwanda. “Rwandans expect a lot from this facility and I am sure it will provide satisfactory services,” he emphasized.

Rwanda Forensic Laboratory was established on the 15^th October 2016 by the enactment of law N⁰ 41/2016. The Prime Minister’s order N⁰ 61/03 of 04/05/2017 determining the supervising authority of this Lab was established in Official gazette N⁰ 19 of 08/052017, and the Ministry of Justice was appointed as its supervisor.