» Kidnapping suspect died in police custody

Aba Police Area Command says  kidnap suspect, late Monday Nwakanma was said to have slumped and died later, actually died of heart attack.


This was contained in the autopsy report attached to the statement of reply filed by the police in defence of N1 billion damages suit the Nwakanma's family instituted against the police in connection to his death.

The family is accusing the police of torturing their father to death when he was arrested by the police for alleged kidnapping and using his compound for harbouring kidnapped victims.

Family members of the suspected kidnapper, who was alleged to have slumped and died at the Police Area Command, Aba, sometime in November last year, had dragged the police to court claiming N1 billion as damages.

In the suit which has been adjourned till August 1, 2011, the family of Nwakanma of Umuocho Village, Osisioma is claiming that their late father was tortured to death and therefore is asking the court to order police to pay them the sum of N1 billion as collateral damages.

However, the police are denying the allegation. The police maintained that the suspect was not tortured or beaten by the police. According to the police, Nwakanma was arrested on November 10, 2011, in his compound in connection with a kidnapping case.

According to the autopsy report attached the statement of defence filed by the police, the late kidnap suspect died "due to heart attack".

The police attributed the heart attack as indicated in the autopsy to the shock the suspect received on seeing his victim who identified him, stating that the family "is not entitled to any relief of for the sum of N1 billion as the death of Monday Nwakanma is not connected to the actions or inactions of the defendants (police) in this case."

Source:....