‘He was thoroughly beaten …’

Medical Report indicts police in Cross River over death of inmate in custody

THE Medical Certificate issued by authorities of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), on what led to the death of 23-year-old Stanley Etim has indicted the Nigeria Police in Cross River State.

The police had earlier alleged that the deceased was an armed robber who died in police custody in February, shortly after arrest.

The police had picked up Etim in the presence of his boss at his place of work, Sparks Shopz in Etta Agbor, Calabar, on February 6, 2015, by a team of policemen from SCID, Diamond Hill Calabar, who accused him of being a robber.

In the process, he was thoroughly beaten up by the police despite pleas from his boss and dragged into their waiting van. He was said to have died the same day in police custody, but the police claimed he died of stomach ulcer.

Apparently not satisfied with the report from the police, the family members in a petition dated February 9, 2015 and signed by Claret Opara-Bassey of Olive Chambers, solicitor to the family, and addressed to Deputy Inspector-General (DIG), Investigative Department, CID Complex, Abuja, accused the police of beating Etim to death, saying he was gruesomely murdered.

Following the petition, an autopsy was ordered and report of the autopsy dated April 22, 2015, signed by a Pathologist. Dr Irabor Godstime Isi and Omoruyi Kenneth of the Department of Histopathology, UCTH as witnesses, said Etim died of “extensive blunt head and limb (lower/upper) injuries”.

The lead pathologist, who ruled out stomach ulcer as the cause of Etim’s death, said in the report: “I hereby certify that I have medically attended to Mr. Stanley Etim who was aged 23.”

“That the cause of death ascertained with autopsy No CPM014/15 was to the best of my knowledge and belief as herein stated viz extensive blunt head and limb (lower/upper) injuries.”

Commenting on the authenticity of the report, one of the Consultant Pathologists with the UCTH, Prof. Imaobong Ekanem said “pathologists tell you what they find, they wouldn`t cook up anything. That is why the experts must always be given opportunity to do their work.”

The counsels to the deceased’s family, Mr. Okpara and Mr. James Ibor, who were present during the autopsy said, “we saw dark spots beneath the skin; it was very obvious from the layman idea that he was severely beaten. The body was torn open before us. There was no evidence of gunshot as alleged by some persons or any sign of ulcer. There were bruises on his legs, thighs and his head.”

“The hand had severe injuries. The only cause of death could have been the aggregate of the beatings, which perhaps traumatised the deceased. All other organs were in perfect condition before his death as revealed by the Medical Death Certificate”.

They said for now: “We are contemplating filing a civil suit against those police officers who abducted late Etim from his work place in the name of arrest, and then got him beaten to death.”

They insist that justice must be done on the matter to serve as deterrent to others who take the law into their hands.