, SEP1503 ASSIGNMENT ONE SEM 2 2026 MEMO | DUE DATE AUGUST 2026
Question 1
The Locard Exchange Principle, developed by French forensic scientist Edmond Locard,
states that whenever two objects or people come into contact, there is always a transfer of
material between them. This principle is commonly summarised as "every contact leaves a
trace." As a result, offenders both leave evidence at the crime scene and take evidence away
with them, making it possible for investigators to establish a connection between a suspect, a
victim, and the crime scene (Saferstein, 2020).
In the given scenario, the woman scratched the face of the man who attempted to rape her.
According to the Locard Principle, biological material such as the suspect's skin cells, blood, or
tissue may have been transferred beneath the woman's fingernails during the struggle. At the
same time, the suspect may have retained the victim's DNA, fibres from her clothing, or other
trace evidence on his body or clothing. Investigators can collect fingernail scrapings from the
complainant and swab the suspect's facial scratches for DNA analysis. If the DNA profiles
match, this forensic evidence can strongly link the suspect to the attempted rape. The visible
scratches on the suspect's face may also support the complainant's account of resisting the attack,
providing additional corroborative evidence (Houck & Siegel, 2015; Saferstein, 2020).
Question 2
In investigating the alleged unlawful use of the company vehicle by Mr Bulelani Dzanibe, two
important sources of information that can be used are documentary evidence and electronic
evidence.
The first source is documentary evidence, which includes company records and official
documents that can verify whether the vehicle was authorised for use. For example, the
investigator can examine the vehicle logbook, trip authorisation forms, or fuel records to
determine whether Mr Dzanibe had permission to use the company vehicle on the day in
question. If the records indicate that no official business was scheduled, this may support the
allegation that the vehicle was used for personal purposes (Marais & Van Rooyen, 2019).
The second source is electronic evidence, which includes information obtained from
technological devices such as GPS tracking systems, vehicle telematics, or CCTV footage. For
example, the investigator can retrieve GPS tracking data from the company vehicle to determine
whether it travelled to a fishing location instead of an authorised work destination. CCTV
footage from the company premises may also show the time Mr Dzanibe left and returned with
the vehicle, while GPS records can confirm the exact route taken, thereby providing objective
evidence of the vehicle's unauthorised use (Bennett & Hess, 2018).
Question 1
The Locard Exchange Principle, developed by French forensic scientist Edmond Locard,
states that whenever two objects or people come into contact, there is always a transfer of
material between them. This principle is commonly summarised as "every contact leaves a
trace." As a result, offenders both leave evidence at the crime scene and take evidence away
with them, making it possible for investigators to establish a connection between a suspect, a
victim, and the crime scene (Saferstein, 2020).
In the given scenario, the woman scratched the face of the man who attempted to rape her.
According to the Locard Principle, biological material such as the suspect's skin cells, blood, or
tissue may have been transferred beneath the woman's fingernails during the struggle. At the
same time, the suspect may have retained the victim's DNA, fibres from her clothing, or other
trace evidence on his body or clothing. Investigators can collect fingernail scrapings from the
complainant and swab the suspect's facial scratches for DNA analysis. If the DNA profiles
match, this forensic evidence can strongly link the suspect to the attempted rape. The visible
scratches on the suspect's face may also support the complainant's account of resisting the attack,
providing additional corroborative evidence (Houck & Siegel, 2015; Saferstein, 2020).
Question 2
In investigating the alleged unlawful use of the company vehicle by Mr Bulelani Dzanibe, two
important sources of information that can be used are documentary evidence and electronic
evidence.
The first source is documentary evidence, which includes company records and official
documents that can verify whether the vehicle was authorised for use. For example, the
investigator can examine the vehicle logbook, trip authorisation forms, or fuel records to
determine whether Mr Dzanibe had permission to use the company vehicle on the day in
question. If the records indicate that no official business was scheduled, this may support the
allegation that the vehicle was used for personal purposes (Marais & Van Rooyen, 2019).
The second source is electronic evidence, which includes information obtained from
technological devices such as GPS tracking systems, vehicle telematics, or CCTV footage. For
example, the investigator can retrieve GPS tracking data from the company vehicle to determine
whether it travelled to a fishing location instead of an authorised work destination. CCTV
footage from the company premises may also show the time Mr Dzanibe left and returned with
the vehicle, while GPS records can confirm the exact route taken, thereby providing objective
evidence of the vehicle's unauthorised use (Bennett & Hess, 2018).
