Pointing out that cocaine has been eaten by rats and guns have mysteriously disappeared from secure storage rooms, Opposition Senator Lyndira Oudit yesterday questioned whether systems were in place to ensure that evidence in the form of video and audio recordings would be kept safely.

Oudit dealt with the problem of improper storage and asked if the entire Police Service would be revamped to make way for this legislation as she spoke during the debate on the Evidence Amendment Bill at yesterday’s sitting of the Senate.

’We have a history in this country of rats eating cocaine, of guns going missing...we have a problem with proper storage, so how are you going to ensure where you have such delicate things such as DVDs, flashdrives...all sorts of new digital recording devices, how is the Attorney General and the Minister of National Security for example going to ensure...that little pieces of flashdrives...are going to be properly secured and not accidentally thrown out with the garbage?’ said Oudit.

She questioned whether the legislation would see improvement of police stations and storage facilities.

She said Government was ’spinning top in mud’ by bringing an amendment to the Evidence Act when the protection of witnesses still remains a crucial problem.

Oudit admitted that the legislation was laudable but noted that there were serious issues to be dealt with beforehand and pointed out that police must be properly trained in the gathering of data and use of technical equipment before this is implemented.

Describing the legislation as a dagger in the heart of the judicial powers, Oudit suggested that the amendment to the Act be sent to a Joint Select Committee (JSC) of the Parliament to be properly analysed before it becomes law.