Who's your daddy?

Over the years the term ‘DNA test’ has been received with much animosity. The initial perception was that a paternity test was for men who were refusing to take care of their children and that this test splits families apart and destroys homes.

David Sethato from the Forensic and Allied Services based in Gaborone shares that mindsets have changed since he started DNA testing back in 2008. He says lately people realise that, “A DNA test solves and extinguishes any problem regarding the paternity or identity of the child.” In fact a DNA test can represent a new beginning, says Sethato, “It’s the single most important thing that serves the best interest of the child.”

Cumulatively he believes that together with other service providers in Botswana, they receive over 200 requests a year for paternity tests. “There are many other cases which are not declared,” he adds. He observes that in majority of the cases it is the ‘father’ who wants to do the test. He observes two categories of men who request a DNA test. There is the man who wants to do the responsible thing and is taking the test out of the best interest of the child.

“The man who wants to process the birth certificate and school documents basically wanting to prove he is the father,” says Sethato. Then you have the ‘father’ who is prompted by a matter before the courts; for example a maintenance case where he is not sure of the child’s paternity and the courts give him an opportunity to do the test.

“Confident women are not afraid of the test. The picture in your head should match the results you are given. Why should you worry when there was not more than one man?” asks the forensic scientist.

A small drop of blood, similar to that of any blood related test such as HIV, is taken and collected on a special piece of paper which keeps the sample of blood preserved for up to 15-years. Three samples are collected for a DNA test request; that of the mother, alleged father (under investigation) and the child.

To make sample collecting accessible and affordable, satellite collection points are available around Botswana and if applicable in other regions and continents too.

“I partner with private doctors in Botswana and other countries, to make the collection points as close as possible to the customer. Sample collections are packaged and sealed so as not to compromise the results. We work with Botswana Couriers and use registered mail to deliver results back to the courts or individuals who requested the service.” All the tests are done in-house at the Forensic and Allied services with one DNA test costing P3500 (for all 3 samples) and the results are out within 10 days. “We have much confidence in our results thanks to the system that we have in place which quality checks all processes up until the point of the results,” says Sethato. Back tracking to the matter of maintenance cases and DNA tests, Sethato insists that there should be a more systematic approach to maintenance cases and advises that before any step is taken by the courts they should consider doing the DNA test first. “This is also to avoid women having to reimburse fathers the maintenance money. When they fail to reimburse this money they end up facing civil imprisonment.”

In the Friday edition of Mmegi newspaper last week writer correspondent Tumelo Mouwane wrote that an ‘unsure’ father was ordered to pay P33 000 in two months being arrears accumulated as child maintenance since 2001; the said father is only now requesting a DNA test in 2016.

Apart from courts and individual and private requests from ‘fathers’ there are few cases of mothers who request the paternity test to prove to somebody that indeed they are not the ‘father,’ shares Sethato. Other scenarios include ‘immigration testing for Refugees’ where the test is requested by organs like the UNHCR so as to prove that the child is the biological child of the couple claiming it.

The other line of requests involves Embassies. Most common being a guardian wishing to relocate with a child whose parent has died. For example an ‘Aunt’ proving that she is not the biological parent of the child. In other instances the mother has died and the ‘father’ wants to prove he is the father. “The truth is usually known by the mother and the father,” adds Sethato.

There is no secret testing for Sethato, he will not oblige a customer or client who wants to do a ‘behind the back’ paternity test using the hair sample of a child. “I completely refuse to be part of a secret investigation.

Both parties must be involved from start to finish. Besides no one will believe the outcome if they were not part of the test.” The most common excuse for wanting a secret DNA test is that people do not want to hurt the other party or break the trust in the relationship.

Nor will he accept indecent proposals or clients who hope that he will sway the results to their favour. “I want to be a solution to society not an additional problem,” he says. Sethato explains that once the ‘father’ is deceased it can be difficult to link the child to the deceased’s family ‘particularly the girl child’. This becomes a sore point in insurance matters particularly when it comes to claiming entitlement benefits. “The father works for a living and then passes on. The mothers of the children born outside of the relationship then come forth to claim entitlement benefits.”  

Sethato observes that a DNA test has served as a positive element in other people’s lives and has saved a lot of marriages too. He explains that some fathers suspect their partners of cheating and then tend to drag their feet regarding taking care of and maintaining the child or children. At times they even start losing interest in the marriage as well.

A DNA test eliminates any doubts in such cases. He reveals instances when he has had to do a paternity test with samples taken from the mortuary; brothers of the deceased or uncles will come with a ‘blood cough’ sample to prove he was the biological father to all the children. “Then the uncles start to process all payments such as ‘magadi’ and others.” There are also instances where the man wants to disown the child based on random factors like, ‘when the environment tells him ‘ngwana ga se wa gagwe’.

The DNA test helps with keeping the doubts at bay. Sethato’s main concern is the impact the outcome of the DNA test has on the child. “When a child is small the emotional attachment to the father is not so much but when the child is 25-years old and was the only child it can be quite traumatic for all parties involved when the results indicate otherwise.”

The forensic scientist explains that the DNA testing process is foolproof and if a client wants a second opinion they are always free to do so. “For as long as mankind lives there will always be a need for a DNA test,” says Sethato.