Cloud over soldier's DNA theory at Kovco inquiry



This was published 15 years ago

Cloud over soldier's DNA theory at Kovco inquiry

By Malcolm Brown

A FORENSIC biologist yesterday cast serious doubt on the explanation of Private Jake Kovco's military buddy, Soldier 14, as to how his DNA was all over Private Kovco's pistol.

When the nine millimetre Browning pistol that killed Private Kovco on April 21 was scientifically examined, two lots of DNA were found. Most of that on the slide, grip and magazine matched Soldier 14. The minor component was from Private Kovco.

Private Kovco died after being shot in the head with his pistol inside his barracks within the embassy grounds. He had been on duty that afternoon with Soldier 14 at a checkpoint at the embassy's entrance.

Soldier 14 has previously denied handling the gun and suggested the reason for the DNA traces could be that both men had handled the same megaphone while on duty, and possibly a phone and a walkie-talkie.

But Michelle Franco, of the NSW Department of Health's Analytical Laboratories, said she doubted Soldier 14's evidence that his DNA must have been deposited by Private Kovco.


Ms Franco said it was possible for an individual to shed DNA onto an object and for a second person, touching the same object, to pick it up and transfer it to a second object.

But she said shed DNA would not last long on another person's skin. After 10 minutes it could probably be found but after 30 minutes it would be virtually all gone.


If Private Kovco had finished his picket duty at 3pm he would have had to have touched his pistol within half an hour for any of Soldier 14's DNA to have been transferred to the pistol, she said.

If he had not cleared his weapon as he was supposed to, and not touched it for another hour, when the shooting occurred, she would not have expected any of Soldier 14's DNA to have been detectable on the weapon.

In answer to Lieutenant-Colonel Frank Holles, for the parents of Private Kovco, Ms Franco said that in the hour between finishing duty and the shooting, Private Kovco would have handled a number of things and lost what DNA he might have picked up from Soldier 14.

Colonel Holles asked Ms Franco if the fact that Soldier 14's DNA was found on the gun indicated he had touched it.

Ms Franco replied: "It is consistent with that."

Soldier 14 will return to the witness box today to say if he wishes to change his evidence in light of Ms Franco's evidence.

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