Nigeria Content Online

For
allegedly torturing a suspect, Monsuru Akanji, to death, the Oyo State
Police Command has thrown one of its officers, Fakere Adegboyega, out
of the system.

Baba Adisa Bolanta,
Commissioner of Police of the state command, told journalists in Ibadan
on Wednesday that the dismissed cop would be arraigned in court soon to
prove to the world that the police would no longer condone any
unprofessional acts.

Mr. Adegboyega, who
had spent 20 years in the Police, reportedly tortured the suspect to
death after being brought to the Agodi police station, for allegedly
stealing a laptop.

Mr. Bolanta told
newsmen that the cop worsened his case when he absconded after the
death of the suspect, only to resurface about three weeks later.

Pledging the
resolve of the command to always expose the excesses of any police
officer engaged in activities that could endanger the lives of the
citizens they are paid to protect, Mr. Bolanta said his command only
got to know about the death of the suspect on March 30 after a rights
group sent a petition to his office.

He stated that the
report led him to direct the Homicide Section of the command to carry
out thorough investigation on the circumstances surrounding the death
of Mr. Akanji and the complaints that he did not die a natural death.

He said that the
reports from the investigation and result of the autopsy on the corpse
of the suspect confirmed he was subjected to excessive beating and that
he died of torture.

Mr. Bolanta
explained it took the command some time to parade the suspected killer
cop before the press because it wanted to carry out a comprehensive
investigation into the matter.

Dismissed cop’s denial

The dismissed cop
however, said he did not torture the 27-year-old suspect. He said the
deceased died as a result of the beatings he received from the mob
which originally arrested him.

He also denied the
allegations that he refused the father of the deceased the opportunity
to give him water and food, submitting that the man was allowed to feed
his son.

Mr. Adegboyega was
later moved to the State Criminal Investigation Department where he
will be detained, while a case against him is being prepared for his
prosecution.