Digital forensic lab to probe computer crimes mooted

by Jayampathy Jayasinghe

The Government has proposed the setting up of a digital forensic lab in the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to investigate computer crimes that are spreading rapidly in the country, a spokesman for the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) told the Sunday Observer.

The spokesman said ICTA was developing the methodology to be adopted to investigate Computer Crime. Steps were being taken to develop a digital forensic lab in the CID. He said the Bill on Computer Crime by the CINTEC Committee on Law and Computer was presented to Parliament on August 23, 2005. The draft was modified by the Justice Ministry with inputs from an Advisory Committee, appointed by the Minister of Science and Technology.

Meanwhile, a CID spokesman said they have already set up a unit to investigate computer crimes.

When the new Computer Bill was finally submitted for approval to the Cabinet on May 11, 2005, it was decided to strengthen investigative methods of Computer Crimes. It was decided to set up a Computer Crimes Unit to facilitate computer crimes. CINTEC also examined the provisions contained in the Penal Code of 1885 (with emphasis on offences against property) to determine whether the Penal Code could be modified to adapt to deal with Computer Crimes.

However, it was felt that definitions of offences such as Theft, Cheating and Criminal misappropriation (and the definition of property) were limited in scope and reflected conditions that prevailed in the last century.

The new Computer Crimes Bill will include provisions relating to unauthorised access of a computer, computer programme, data or information. It also contains provision to deal with the unauthorised use of computers regardless of whether the offender had authority to access the computer.