Groups seek Justice as boy d*es in police custody in Anambra

The Anambra State Police Stakeholders Partnership Forum (PSPF), and the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), have sought Justice for one Uchenna Okafor (male), who allegedly died in the custody of the Anambra State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) annex, Awkuzu, in December 2022.

While maintaining that Justice must prevail, the groups charged the Anambra Police authorities to come clean on the suspicious and controversial death of the teenager.

The death of Okafor was made public by a Twitter user, @Ada_mummyya, who alleged that he died in police custody after being arrested for a case of ‘two fighting’ last year.

According to the Twitter user, when the deceased’s parents approached the police to demand his release, they were asked to pay a sum of N150,000 as bail.

Okafor’s parents were, however, said to have returned to look for the required money to bail their child, only for them to return six days after and be informed that the former had passed away.

Reacting to the incident, the Force Public Relations Officer (PRO), Nigeria Police Force (NPF), CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi said he had asked the Anambra State Police spokesman, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, to look into the matter and revert to him.

Ikenga, in his response, said the state police command had started a probe into the “death of a suspect Uchenna Okafor, who died in detention.”

In a statement, Ikenga also said the command had started a probe into the “death of a suspect Uchenna Okafor, who died in detention.”

The statement read, “It is a case of armed robbery and not a case of ‘two fighting’ as alleged. The complainant positively identified the three suspects. There were marks of violence and serious wound on the body of the complainant as a result of the attack by the suspects.

“The suspects’ statements were taken and they all confessed to the crime. They were detained with other suspects in the cell. The other suspects, while in custody, revealed that as they were sleeping, late Uchenna started acting abnormally.

“He screamed and hit his head on the wall before he slumped. The victim was taken to the hospital and he was confirmed dead by the doctor. No money was demanded or collected by the IPO or any policeman as attested by the deceased father.”

Ikenga, therefore, stated that the police had extended an invitation to the social justice advocate and Twitter user @Ada_mummyya for questioning.