NAIROBI Kenya May 14 -The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has launched investigations into the circumstances that led to the death of a businessman in police custody shortly after he was arrested.
Washington Booker Ojukwu was arrested on Thursday May 11 by officer from Buruburu police station after he differed with an Mpesa agent at the Buruburu shopping centre.
The deceased claimed he had withdrawn some money which he never collected, prompting the agent to alert the police.
Preliminary reports indicate he died in the hands of the police who secretly removed the body to Mama Lucy hospital mortuary.
Violet Ojukwu, the wife said she received a call from the police at around 8pm informing her that her husband was admitted at the Mama Lucy Hospital.
“I asked the officers if I could talk to him but they refused and insisted that I personally visit the hospital. We went but did not find any officers at the hospital and inquired from the staff who told us that he had not been taken there,” she said.
They then decided to check with the mortuary attendants and they confirmed that he was actually taken there by the police.
Eyewitnesses have said the deceased was beaten by two officers, who they can positively identify, when he was arrested
Ojukwu, according to a message seen by ShahidiNews withdrew Sh7,000 from an Mpsa agent at 1.42pm that Thursday.
According to the agent, she gave the deceased who was accompanied by a mechanic the cash and they left.
She reported that the man, who was well known to him for years and looked somewhat intoxicated, came back and said he withdrew the money but he never collected it.
A commotion ensued and the agent called officers from the Buruburu Community policing police booth, located about 30metres from the shop.
The officers came and manhandled him to the police booth. According to one of the eyewitnesses, the deceased protested asking why he was being arrested and all he wanted was his money.
“A long the way, he resisted and firmly held a metallic post, a few metres from the booth, prompting the officers to use some force,” another witness said.
One of the deceased’s friends said they could hear someone screaming from the booth but they never imagined it was him.
“He had passed by my shop and greeted me about 15 minutes earlier. We however suspected there was something wrong when a police vehicle came and reversed too close to the booth’s door and officers blocked the locals from coming close to the booth,” the friend said.
A woman who had served the officers with tea was also blocked from getting into the booth when she went back to collect the cups.
The locals believe the deceased died while in the hands of the police. One of the residents managed to get into the booth and touched him but he was not responsive.
“His body was lying on the floor and I asked the officers if he was still alive. They did not answer me,” he said.
The father said he spoke with him the same day and he was very fine.
“The police called at around 9pm and told us the body was at Mama Lucy Hospital. We have transferred the body to Chiromo mortuary engaged the Independent Medico-Legal Unit (IMLU),” the father said.
The autopsy by the government pathologist and IMLU doctors will be conducted on Wednesday to ascertain the cause of death.
The law requires police officers to immediately report any death in police custody or shooting resulting in death or serious injury to IPOA.
However, in most cases it is the victim’s family that informed the oversight bodies.
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