ALL POLICE FILES

COMPILATION
 Types of files
•Ordinary case file - for prosecution of criminal cases
•General inquiry file – for investigation of
incidents/cases of interest
•Inquest file – investigation into sudden deaths
•Fire inquiry file – Investigation into causes of fire
resulting into damages
Cont…

• Road traffic accident investigation file – investigation

into causes of accidents
• Complaint against police – investigation into
complaints against police by members of the public
• Escape from lawful custody – investigation into
escape of a prisoner from lawful custody
• The first five files are compiled from the bottom upwards
whereas the last two (Complaint against police, Escape from
lawful custody) files are compiled from the top downwards.
• The sub – files for these two files will be minimal as per the
file.
• Apart from the first file which is not prepared in duplicate,
the rest will be in duplicates.

•
COMPILATION OF CASE FILES

SSO Cap 42
Definition

A case file is a record of all the facts and documents in

relation to a case compiled for ease of reference.
• A case file is divided into 10 parts lettered A - J
referred to as sub - files.
NOTE
• Sub – file A and J are compiled and marked from
bottom upwards, the rest will be compiled and
marked from top to bottom in red ink in the right
hand corner of every page.
• The contents of sub - files of a Case file will be as
follows:
 Sub – File “A”
• Consists of all documents relating to the report of the
offence e.g.
• Initial report – Letters of complaint that initiates the
investigation.
• OB extract – Of the initial report initiating the investigation
Crime reports
• Subsequent reports – further reports or signals relating to
the same case.
• Amendments – If any of preferred charges for the case
investigated
 Sub – File “B”
Consists of Exhibit documents such as
1. Photographs
2. Sketch plan and Legends
3. Copies of any other documentary exhibits.
4. Inquest Report Form
• The documents should be placed in envelopes and the
contents indicated.
• The documents should be marked as B1, B2 etc.
 Sub – File “C”
• Consists of reports from experts such as
1. Medical examination reports P.3 and P. 23
2. Ballistic report
3. Handwriting expert report
4. Government analysts report.
5. Any other expert reports such as Exhibit memo forms,
Geologists report, Fire expert report, Bomb expert report etc.
• Small documents should be placed in the envelopes and the
contents indicated on it.
• The documents will be marked as C1, C2, etc.
Sub – File “D”

• Consists of
• 1. Statement of prosecution witness
• 2. Report of identification parade (P.156).
•
• The documents will be marked as D1, D2 etc.
Sub File “E”

• Will consist of
• 1. Formal statement of the accused.
• 2. Charge and cautionary statement.
• 3. Statement under inquiry.
•
• The documents will be marked as E1, E2 etc.
Sub File “F”

• Will consist of
• 1. Investigation diary.
 Sub File “G”
• Will consist of
• 1. Copies of charge sheets.
• 2. Cash bail receipts.
• 3. Apprehension report form.
• 4. Offences taken into consideration. – T.I.C, Form C14
• 5. N.T.A.C, N.I.P. in respect of traffic cases.
• 6. P 70 - Examination of drunkard drivers.
• 7. P 18 bail and Bail Bond.
 Sub File “H”
Will consist of
1. List of witnesses.
2. List of Exhibits.
3. Prisoners property.
4. Previous criminal records.
5. P 17 - Bond to attend court.
6. Statistics forms.
• The documents will be marked as H1, H2 etc.
Sub File “I”

• Will consist of
• 1. Covering report.
• The document will be marked I 1
Sub File “J”

• Will consist of
• 1. Correspondences.
• 2. Minute sheet.
• The documents will be marked J1, J2 etc
CONCLUSION

In any prosecution, a court prosecutor needs the

relevant information/facts/evidence readily available
to him/her in order to be able to prosecute a particular
case. The prosecutor needs something from where
he/she can make reference. It is in this respect that an
investigating officer collects and compiles all the
relevant information surrounding a case and places it
into what is known as a “CASE FILE”
COMPILING A COMPLAINT
AGAINST POLICE FILE

Authority SSO Cap 21

What is a complaint against police file?

• It is a file compiled for ease of reference while

investigating a complaint raised against a police
officer by a member of public.
How is it compiled?

• It is compiled in six parts from top to bottom. These

parts are referred to as sub- files and are lettered
from A-F. We are normally guided by a pneumonic
word “NSFRIS” to be able to remember the procedure
of compiling the file. i.e
1.SUB-FILE A……Numbered Index Documents and
statements.
2.SUB-FILE B……Summary of Evidence
3.SUB-FILE C……Findings
4.SUB-FILE D……Recommendations
5.SUB-FILE E……Investigation diary
6.SUB-FILE F……Statements and other relevant
documents.
SUB-FILE A

NUMBERED INDEX OF DOCUMENTS AND

STATEMENTS
• These are the documents and statements placed in
the file which are numbered or indexed using letters.
They are numbered for ease of reference and
identification. The numbered indexes of documents
referred to in this file are:-
• Sub-file B……………Summary of evidence
• Sub-file C……………Findings
• Sub-file D……………Recommendations
• Sub-file E……………Investigation diary
• Su-b file F………….Statements and other relevant
documents.
• Every written piece of paper in the file has relevant
Information and therefore becomes an important document
and must be signed and numbered.

• 2. The numbered index of documents and statements is

itself a document lettered ‘A’. Where more than one paper
is used, the papers are numbered A1, A2, A3, A4 etc

• Likewise in case of Sub-file ‘B’ where we have the summary,

if two pieces of paper are used they are numbered as B1 (i),
B1(ii), B1(iii) …etc
• In case of Sub-file ‘F’ where we have statements of different
persons, the statements are numbered as F1, F2, F3, F4 etc.
However, where two or more pages are used in a person’s
statement, we introduce roman numbering to identify the
pages/sheets of paper used e.g F1(i), F1(ii), F1(iii), etc F2(i),
F2(ii), F2(iii) etc

• The documents falling under Sub-file “F’’ e.g. P3 forms,

Post mortem forms, sick sheet etc will be numbered as F5,
F6, F6 etc from where the numbering of statements had
stopped.
The index letters may be used to refer to the persons
mentioned other than necessarily using the names of
persons which are lengthy especially while drawing up the
summary, findings and recommendations. But the officer
drawing up the summary must make sure that if he is using it
for the first time must show the name and the index letter to
make the reader understand easily who he is referring to
without necessarily going to the numbered index of
documents.
SUB-FILE B

SUMMARY OF EVIDENCE
• It is a brief statement in relation to the complaint
lodged against the alleged police officer. It is prepared
after the officer conducting the inquiry has recorded
down all the statements and has gotten in his mind all
what is about the case or incident.
• The brief statement gives the insight to the reader
concerning the case in question and can be easily
understood without even going to read the statements in
the file. It reflects all what has been said by the witnesses
but this time round reduced into key points. The summary
must have some flow right from the beginning to the end.
• The summary is written in paragraphs. These paragraphs
are used to separate ideas narrated from the case under
inquiry. However the first paragraph must contain the
introduction. i.e. what kind of case is being inquired into
e.g.
‘This is an inquiry into a complaint raised by one Joshua
Mwamburi (F1) against one No. 89765 PC John mwakazi
(F4) that F4 refused to apprehend one Darious Mwadime,a
suspect in a case of assault CR 721/22/2008 which the
officer was investigating”
• The second paragraph should explain the brief
circumstances of the case quoting the date, time
when the incident occurred. He will then continue
explaining what transpired concerning the incident. If
he has a different idea he may state the idea in
another paragraph.
SUB-FILE C
• FINDINGS
• The findings are the results of the inquiry i.e. what the
investigating officer has found out or the truth of the
matter under inquiry.
• These findings are based on facts which are obtained
from the recorded evidence. These facts must be
reasoned and supported with evidence from the
statements.
 SUB- FILE D
• RECOMMENDATIONS
• These may be referred to as the investigators
advice/actions/comments that he makes from the findings.

• For instance after the investigations, he may realize that

someone is responsible for the offence committed or
allegation raised he may advise that the officer concerned be
charged in orderly room proceedings or taken to court if it is
a criminal offence.
cont…
• If he recommends so he must state the offence and
the particulars of the offence against disciple or law as
the case may be. He may also comment that if there
was negligence on the part of the administration so as
to deter future occurrences that certain measures be
put in place

• Also if other offences were revealed during the

inquiry that the person concerned to be further
inquired into or charged.
 SUB-FILE E
• INVESTIGATION DIARY
• Is a record of all the occurrences in relation to a case under
inquiry. They normally extracted from the occurrence book.

• The investigating officer must write the OB number Date and

place before extracting the entry from the Occurrence book.
The entries extracted must flow in chronological order. It
should also be stated the person who signed or made the
entry.
 SUB-FILE F
STATEMANET OF THE WITNESSES AND OTHER RELEVANT
DOCUMENT
This comprise of;
i. Statement of the complainant and witnesses
ii. Statement under enquiry from suspects or against the
one the complaint is made.
iii. Document relevant to the case i.e. P3 form,
identification parade from(P156 ), analyst report e.t.c
ESCAPE FROM POLICE CUSTODY
Authority S.S.O para. 30 Chapter 15, Sec.30 National Police Service Act
2011 - Sixth Schedule
• An inquiry file will be opened in the following manner,
from top to bottom:-

1. Sub – File “A” ------Proceedings of the inquiry

2. Sub – File “B” ------Statements
3. Sub – File “C” ------Summary
4. Sub – File “D” ------Findings
5. Sub – File “E” ------Recommendations
SUB-FILE ‘A’
PROCEEDINGS OF INQIRY
Shall include:-
• -Signals dispatched in respect of the escape
• -Entries entered in the OB i.e. investigation diary
SUB-FILE ‘B’
STATEMENTS
Shall include:-
• -Statements of the persons who discovered the escape
• -The officers who were guarding or taking charge of the
prisoners.
• -The officers involved in the search of the prisoner
• -The statements of the prisoners who may have been with
the escapee in the cell, explaining how it may have been
planned.
• -Any other persons with statements relevant to the case.
SUB-FILE ‘C’
SUMMARY
• -Summary of the evidence as revealed by the
statements and proceedings of the inquiry.
SUB-FILE ‘D’
FINDINGS
• -Findings made from all the evidence summarized
from the file.
• -Incisive (keen) and accurate observations made from
the evidence.
• -Inclusion of farfetched evidence propelled by what is
in record ideal.
 SUB-FILE ‘E’ –
RECOMMENDATIONS
• Recommendations that shows the way forward for the case
should be clearly reflected.
• To include any action taken to remedy the situation and
action taken against any person (officer) found responsible
for the escape.

• On completion of the investigation, the inquiry file will be

forwarded to County Police Headquarters.
• Such files must reach the office of the Inspector General
within 21 days from the date of the escape.
• County and Divisional Headquarters will each maintain an
escape from custody Register containing the following
headings:-
i. Serial Number
ii. File Number
iii. Date, time place of escape
iv. Brief details of escape
v. Person found responsible
vi. Disciplinary or other action taken
GENERAL INQUIRY FILE
• For investigation of incidents/cases of interest e.t.c

• It is compiled similar to that of the case file i.e. A-J

• Sub-file “J” under covering report, give summary of

evidence, Findings and Recommendations

• Sub-file “A”, unlike ordinary case file where it has

Crime and Incident report, this file has Incident
Report.
FIRE INQUIRY FILE
• Investigation into causes of fire resulting into injury/damage
to property

• It is compiled similar to that of the case file i.e. A-J

• Sub-file “I” under covering report, give summary of
evidence, Findings and Recommendations

• Sub-file “A”, unlike ordinary case file where it has Crime and
Incident report, this file has Incident Report.
INQUEST FILE
Investigation into sudden deaths e.g.
1. has committed suicide;
2. has been killed by another or by an accident;
3. has died under circumstances raising a reasonable suspicion
that some other person has committed an offence; or
4. is missing and believed to be dead;

• It is compiled similar to that of the case file i.e. A-J

• Sub-file “I” under covering report, give summary of
evidence, Findings and Recommendations