THE family of 23-year-old Stanley Etim has alleged that their son was tortured to death while in police custody at the headquarters of the Cross River State Police Command in Calabar on February 5, 2015. Although Southern City News gathered that the police had attributed Etim’s death to stomach ulcer, his aunt, Mrs. Arit Nyong, who is a chief superintendent at the Medical Unit of the Cross River State Command of the Nigerian Prisons Service in Calabar, insisted the report by the police was not true.
Etim worked as a shop attendant at Sparks Supermarket, along Eta-Agbor Road in Calabar, until he was allegedly killed by policemen attached to ‘D5’ of the Cross River State Criminal Investigation Department on February 5, 2015 after accusing him of armed robbery. The D5 unit is headed by Bassey Edim. When contacted for clarification on what caused the death of Etim, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Hogan Bassey, said the police was still investigating the matter.
“We are aware of the incident and we are doing everything to unravel whatever mystery that is associated with the matter. The police will go to any length to ensure that the right thing is done,” he said. However, Nyong, who spoke on behalf of the family, said Etim had a brawl with his girlfriend, identified as Chichi, who was also having an affair with a policeman attached to the state CID.
Nyong said the relationship between her nephew and Chichi went sour as a result of a missing N35,000 which Etim suspected was taken by his girlfriend, alleging that Chichi connived with her police boyfriend, identified as Uche, to carry out the crime.
Medical certificate, issued by authorities of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital on what led to the death of Etim, confirmed that he sustained injuries.
The report, dated April 22, 2015, and signed by pathologist, Dr. Irabor Isi, and Dr. Omoruyi Kenneth of the Department of Histopathology as witness, said Etim died of “extensive blunt head and limb (lower/upper) injuries,” and not of stomach ulcer as stated by the police.
The lead pathologist said, “I hereby certify that I have medically attended to Stanley Etim who was aged 23 years. 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.”
Speaking on the authenticity of the report, one of the consultant pathologists, 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 counsel to the deceased family, Mr. James Ibor, who was 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 gun shoot as alleged by some persons nor 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 traumatized the decease. All other organs were in perfect condition before his death as revealed by the medical death certificate.”
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