CFIN seeks partnership in implementation of Cybercrime Act

The implementation of the Cybercrime Act 2015 will require total collaboration between the legal profession and professionals in the digital, mobile and computer forensics.

The President and chairman, Certification Board, Computer Forensics Institute, Nigeria (CFIN) Dr. Peter Olu Olayiwola, made the disclosure at just concluded 5th yearly International Digital, Mobile and Computer Forensics conference held in Lagos, over the weekend.

While informing that the professional body started operations in 2008 when there was no legal framework in place to make forensic or electronic evidence admissible in law courts and tribunals, Olayiwola said that it is a thing of joy that within few years of the existence of the body Nigeria does not only have an amended Evidence Act 2011 but also the Cybercrime Act 2015.

However, he said the acquisition, examination, analysis and reporting of cybercrime evidence require the use of digital, mobile, and computer forensics examiners and those are where his colleagues are readily available to help.

“Today over 90 percent of all criminal cases have one form of electronic evidence or the other. Without knowledge of Digital, Mobile and Computer Forensics, the investigator, prosecutor, the judge or magistrate and even the defence may not know that the electronic evidence exists somewhere.  We at CFIN are ready to assist our nation in the implementation of the Cybercrime Act in solving many cases which hitherto were considered by investigators and prosecutors as dead ends, ’’ Olayiwola said.

In talking about the heavy responsibility placed on them as professionals, Olayiwola admonished practitioners to trade with caution as expert witnesses and said the Institute will monitor and discipline members who place financial gains over and above the integrity of the profession and those who parade themselves falsely as certified digital and computer forensics examiners when they are not.

To this end, the body launched the maiden edition of the CFIN Register of Certified Examiners as a reminder to all members that they have taken an oath of Professional Ethics with zero tolerance to those whose activities negate the growth and development of the institute and the profession at large.

“For effective maintenance of standards in the practice of digital and computer forensics in Nigeria, CFIN has constituted a National Working Group on Standards for the Practice of Digital and Computer Forensics in Nigeria.

The terms of reference include; identifying requirements for standard operational procedures and quality standards applying to the provision of digital/computer forensics services in Nigeria.

This will include the quality of the techniques employed and closely associated processes for instance; evidential integrity, interpretation and presentation of results, Advising on how to accredit those supplying digital forensics services in Nigeria, Advising on how to monitor compliance with digital forensics quality standards, among others”, the president disclosed.