Effect of Forensic Document Examination Knowledge on Travel Document Fraud Detection – a Case of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport

Abstract

Fraud and use of counterfeit documents to cross borders has become common and consequently a big threat to border control and national security. The study focused on the effect of forensic document examination on travel document fraud detection – a case of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA). The main objective of the study was to determine the effect of forensic document examination knowledge on travel document fraud detection practices at JKIA. Research questions asked on the fraud detection techniques deployed, the level of forensic document examination literacy and the influence it has on fraud detection on travel document. The study design adopted a case study. Sixty eighty (68) officers were randomly sampled from two hundred (200) immigration officers working at JKIA. Data were collected using close ended questionnaire which was then quantitatively analysed, summerized and presented with the help of computer packages. The study found that all the immigration officers at JKIA are literate with a minimum qualification of an undergraduate degree and have attained at least the basic document examination level qualification. The study found that work experience, level of training, travel document literacy and the use of documents manuals at work play a great role in travel document fraud detection and improves border management and control. The study concluded that forensic document examination has a positive impact on travel document fraud detection and it is necessary for officers to acquire it before deployment. Forgeries and counterfeits were found to be the most common forms of fraud that are encoutered at JKIA and profiling method the most succefull technique in countering and detecting travel document fraud. For policy, the study recommends that the government under the Directorate of Immigration Services (DIS) formulate policies to address the need for forensic document examination training to officers before deployment. For practice, the management need to ensure adequate provision of up-to-date document examination manuals/document brochures to the officers at their work stations and enforce regular in-house trainings and seminars. The study was limited to one stakeholder (immigration officers) at JKIA wich is not the practice in the government, multi agengencies approach. The study was limited to JKIA only and its findings cannot be generalised for all the border points in the country. For further research, the study recommends an investigation to establish the effect of forensic document examination on travel document fraud detection focusing all the stake holders at JKIA; the impact of different levels of forensic document examination on border management and control; and on how to improve forensic document examination among service providers along border points.