‘My son did not die in car accident’

The father of Chibuike Edeh, a worker with Protea Hotel, Benin, Edo State, who reportedly died while in police custody on March 13, says the police lied that his son died after he was knocked down by a vehicle.PUNCH Metro had on Monday reported that some youths stormed the premises of the hotel, off Sapele Road, to protest against Chibuke’s death, blaming the police and the management of the hotel for the tragic incident.
Chibuke was arrested last Friday and taken to Adesuwa Police Station, after he was accused by the management of the hotel of stealing N48,000.

It was reported that his relatives, who were informed of his arrest, were in the process of securing his bail before learning that he was dead and his corpse was at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital’s morgue.

The Edo State Police Command had said that the 27-year-old from Nkanu, Enugu State, was accompanied by the Investigation Police Officer and the Chief Security Officer of the hotel to retrieve the stolen money, when he was knocked down by a vehicle on Sapele Road, as he tried to escape.

But the father of the deceased, Mr. Raphael Edeh, told our correspondent on Wednesday that his son was not killed in a motor accident.

Raphel said his son was “tortured, judging by the deep cuts on his body”. He stated that the auto crash was used as a “camouflage,” to cover up the fact that he was tortured to death.

He said, “I don’t believe that he died in an accident. As a suspect in police custody, he must have been handcuffed and held by the policeman who accompanied him. So, running away would have been difficult.

“He must have been tortured, and the car accident was used as a camouflage. Only God knows the truth.

The 55-year-old man, who said he had just returned from a visit to one of his relatives when his wife broke the news of their son’s death, said the deceased did not have a questionable character and called for the intervention of the Edo State Government.

“He was not a person who can do that kind of thing because he was a gentleman,” he added.

However, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Joseph Edoigiawerie, denied that the police tortured Chibuike.

Edoigiawerie said, “He was not tortured. We have issued a press release and the picture of the vehicle that hit him is attached to it. The suspect (driver ) is also in detention. Why are they making all these kinds of insinuations?”

Attached to the press statement issued by the command was the photograph of a vehicle marked, FUG 93 JD (EDO), said to have been involved in the accident.

The statement read, “On March 14, 2015, the police went with him (Chibuike) with a view to recovering the exhibit, but on getting to the scene, the suspect took to his heels. In the process, he ran into a moving Toyota Camry with registration number, FUG 93 JD (EDO), driven by one Obamedo Omoregie. The vehicle dragged the suspect from Central Road to 1st East Circular Road, along Sapele Road, before it came to a halt.

“The suspect sustained bruises on his body, he was immediately rushed to UBTH with the assistance of some Good Samaritans, where he eventually died. The driver of the car has been arrested for causing the death of the suspect, while the car is impounded and the photograph is hereby attached.”

Meanwhile, the state Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, has called on the Commissioner of Police to thoroughly investigate the mystery behind Chibuike’s death.

Oshiomhole stated this on Wednesday while addressing the family and friends of the deceased, who staged a protest at the Government House.

He said, “Whether or not the young man was a thief, whether the money was found on him or not; there is law. There is a procedure to be followed to investigate alleged stealing, even alleged murder.

“Nothing empowers anyone, whether the President, the governor, the Police Commissioner and the AIG to order the killing or condone the killing of any Nigerian, even if that Nigerian is a known criminal, only the court can do so.”

The governor assured the aggrieved family that justice would prevail in the matter.

“I assure you that the commissioner will explain to me what he knows about the murder of this young man and whoever is responsible for the murder, the police will ensure that the law is followed to get justice.”