A crime laboratory worker at the Saga Prefectural Police is believed to have conducted 130 improper DNA analyses, according to sources.
The Saga police have sent papers on the employee to prosecutors and slapped him with disciplinary dismissal.
The employee, in his 40s, admitted to the allegations and apologized for causing a great inconvenience, Saga police sources said.
According to the sources, the employee allegedly fabricated DNA analyses and falsified analysis dates between June 2017 and October 2024. Sixteen such analyses were submitted to prosecutors as evidence, including in sexual assault and attempted murder cases.
The problem came to light on Oct. 16 last year during a process of approving a DNA analysis result.
The police then reexamined DNA samples used in 124 of the 632 analyses the employee had been involved in since 2015, while checking the remaining 508 analyses, including by comparing the data with submitted documents.
The police believe that no investigation or trial was affected by the improper DNA analyses.
The sources quoted the employee as saying that he wanted to make his job performance look better so as to get a good reputation and avoid criticism from his boss.
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