A 23-year-old man who was allegedly tortured to death by policemen in Calabar in February last year, has finally been laid to rest amid tears from family and friends.
The deceased
According to Cross River Watch, the remains of a 23-year-old shop keeper, Stanley Etim, who died in police custody, was laid to rest last weekend at Hawkins cemetary, Calabar South in Cross River State.
The deceased was picked from his work place (Sparkz shop Etta Agbor, Calabar) on February 5, 2015 by a team of policemen from SCID, Diamond Hill Calabar, over allegations of armed robbery, and he was thoroughly beaten up by the policemen despite pleas from his boss and dragged into their waiting van
It was reported that the accused policemen, Inspector Unoh Egwu, Sergeant Peter Njoku, Corporal Bassey Okim and late Inspector Uche Aligu who died last year, have all been dismissed from the Police following the recommendations of the Adjudicating Officer (Divisional Police Officer of Airport Police Station Mr. Asuquo Ebong) in the orderly room trial. Late Aligu allegedly died after allegations that he went to do charms and on returning he had an accident around Akamkpa and died.
The dismissed policemen claimed that the victim died of stomach ulcer but an autopsy report carried out on April, 22, 2015 in the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) confirmed the cause of death was as a result of torture.
The body had "extensive blunt head and link (upper and lower) injuries." The autopsy result which was facilitated by a police medical doctor from the Force Headquarters Abuja was signed by Dr. Irabor Godstime Isi, MBBS2, NWACP witnessed by Omuruyi Kemveth A. of the Department of Histopathology, UCTH.
It was reliably gathered that late Stanley was having an affair with a girl said to be the girlfriend of one of the dismissed policemen.
Lawyer to the deceased family, James Ibor, Esq. said the accused are currently in detention and are awaiting prosecution by the State.