Assessing The Kenya Police Capacity to Conduct Financial Fraud Forensic Investigations in Kiambu Sub-County.

Abstract

This study examined the Kenya Police and Directorate of Criminal Investigations officers‟ capacity to carry out financial forensic frauds investigations in Kiambu Sub-County. The overall objective of the study was to evaluate the financial fraud forensic capacity of Kenya Police in Kiambu Sub-County. This study was conducted in Kiambu Sub-County, in Kiambu County and targeted the Kenya Police and Directorate of Criminal Investigations officers who are responsible for criminal investigations. The study objectives were; to establish the capacity of Kenya police human resource to carry out forensic investigations on financial frauds in Kiambu Sub-County, to examine the skills capacity of police officers to conduct forensic investigations on financial frauds in Kiambu Sub-County and to assess resource capacity of Kenya Police available for police officers to conduct forensic investigations on financial frauds in Kiambu Sub-County. These objectives sought to answer the following questions: what is the capacity of Kenya police human resource to carry out forensic investigations on financial frauds in Kiambu Sub-County? what skills capacity do police officers have to conduct forensic investigations on financial frauds in Kiambu Sub-County? and what resources are at the disposal of the police officers for conducting forensic investigations on financial frauds in Kiambu Sub-County? The study adopted ex post facto research design. Regular police officers and Directorate of Criminal Investigations Officers (DCI) dealing with criminal investigations were randomly sampled while purposive sampling was employed to select specialised DCI officers at DCI headquarters who provides specialised services to Kiambu Sub-County. From the target population of 90, the study sampled 81 respondents to participate in the study where the response rate was impressive at 85.7%. The study used self-administered questionnaires as primary data collection instruments. Self-administered questionnaires collected primary data while police records provided secondary data. Data collected was analysed both descriptively and statistically. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics such as frequencies, modes, means, variances or standard deviations. Contingency tables were generated by cross-tabulating variables determine the relationship between the study variables. Chi-Square and One-Way ANOVA was used to test the statistical mean difference among variables. Tables and charts present analysed data to represent quantitative findings. Inferences were made to describe the research findings. The study findings revealed that innumerable capacity challenges face the Kenya Police Service in both skills and resources coupled with other challenges, which has greatly influenced the ability to detect, conduct and prosecute financial frauds. The study recommends there is need to come with measures of addressing limited capacity in the police service in order to improve on financial fraud investigations.