Palynological investigation of crimes in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

Pollen grains and spores were deployed for the investigation of criminal cases, at the University of Lagos, Akoka, with proof and disproving of alibis. Evidence was retrieved from suspects' shoes, earlobes, nostrils and clothing using pinch method. The recovered evidences were subjected to standard forensic laboratory procedures. A total of 23 palynomorphs belonging to 13 families were recorded from evidences obtained from the suspects and crime scenes for the four criminal cases analyzed. The criminal case codes are Akoka 001, Akoka 002, Akoka 003 and Akoka 004. Investigations revealed pollen of open forest types: Terminalia mantaly, Hura crepitans, Bougainvillea glabra. Hewittia sublobata, Indigofera spicata, Commelina benghalensis. Amaranthus spinosus, Zea mays, Alchornea cordifolia, Tridax procumbens, Vernonia cinera among others, were also represented. They were found to be dominant for both evidences retrieved from suspects and crime scenes. Some plants in the immediate vegetation contributed to the pollen assemblage of the crime scenes. The retrieved palynomorphs were able to link the suspects to crime scenes due to the strong relationship between the palynomorphs and extant plants present in the crime scenes.