Police speak on death of suspect while in custody

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has denied torturing one Mr. Erasmus Emhenya, to death while in its custody on April 6.

The Police Public Relations Officer for the Command, Josephine Adeh, a Superintendent of Police, made the denial in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

Adeh said the deceased who was in custody over a case of murder, was not tortured while in custody.

According to her, the late Erasmus and one Benjamin Agbasi were arrested for alleged involvement in the stabbing and killing of 25-year-old Blessing Ogbu at the front of Number One Hotel, Nyanya, Abuja.

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“Preliminary investigations by the command have however revealed that the suspect was not tortured to death by the Police.

“Meanwhile, the Acting Commissioner of Police, FCT Police Command, DCP Ahmed Musa, has ordered discrete investigations into the remote and immediate cause of death of the suspect while in custody.

“In the same vein, as part of the ongoing investigations, an autopsy to determine the remote cause of his death has since commenced and the report of the medical examiner is being awaited,” she added.

The spokesperson said the autopsy and other processes would provide the actual cause of Erasmus’s death.

She said that the CP also “assured that the process would be transparent and the report would be made public in due course.

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“The command assures the general public of its unwavering commitment to upholding the rule of law and respect for the fundamental rights of all residents in the FCT.”