Driver dies in police cell, friends protest....

Friends of a 25-year-old driver, Babatunde Apoche, are crying foul over the manner of his death at the Denton Police Station, Ebute Meta, Lagos State.

 Apoche was said to have been tortured by the police while in custody over claims that he stabbed his brother-in-law during a fight in June 2013.

 One of the friends of the deceased, who identified himself as Babatunde Adeleye, said, “Although Apoche was married, he lived separately from his wife. The couple had no children and had been quarreling for a while over Apoche’s drinking problem.

 “On that fateful day, Apoche had gone to his mother-in-law’s house to ask his wife for money. His wife had earlier complained to Apoche’s boss that he often spent his salary on drinks and gave her no money for her upkeep.  As a result, the boss began to pay her Apoche’s salary. “

 PUNCH Metro gathered that Apoche’s wife declined her husband’s request, which led to a quarrel. It was said that the rift was eventually settled by neighbours.

 Adeleye said, “Unknown to Apoche, his wife’s brother got wind of the quarrel between his sister and Apoche and trailed him to Evans Square.

 “A fight ensued between Apoche and his brother-in-law after the latter accosted him. In the process, both men stabbed each other with a broken bottle. After both men had been separated by bystanders, his brother-in-law went to the Denton Police Station to report the incident.

 “The police arrested Apoche, who was also bleeding from a side wound which he sustained in the fight. They threw him in a cell and denied him medical attention for three days. We suspect he was also tortured too because the next thing we heard was that he was dead.

“While Apoche was in detention, he was denied access to his family and friends.”

 Apoche’s family was said to have been denied his corpse until sometime in July 2013, when it was eventually released. The policemen reportedly said Apoche hung himself in the cell.

 Another friend of the deceased, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of backlash from the police said the policemen lied

 “Nobody believes that allegation; Apoche never committed suicide.  But Apoche’s family members are being harassed by the police to keep silent. The matter is gradually being swept under the carpet,” he lamented.

Culled from PUNCH