Police deny torturing armed robbery suspect to death in Anambra

Anambra State Police Command has denied social media allegations that it arrested and tortured an armed theft suspect to loss of life in Awka, early this week.

There had been allegations that operatives hooked up to ‘B’ Division police station in Awka, picked up a suspect, Chukwubuike after he was arrested by members of a neighbourhood watch alongside secretariat highway, Awka, and tortured him till he died.

However the command on Sunday morning, debunked the claims, saying the knowledge was deceptive, and outright falsehood.

In a press launch by the state police command’s spokesperson, DSP Toochukwu Ikenga, the command mentioned it was true that it picked up the suspect, however added that the mob had already tortured him when the operatives rescued him and that shortly after his rescue, the suspect collapsed and was rushed to a hospital, the place he was licensed useless.

Ikenga within the launch mentioned: “To set the information straight, on 28/3/2023 by 10:35 pm, Police Operatives responded to a misery name alongside Secretariat highway, Awka, and rescued a suspect from an offended mob and recovered a regionally made gun with one expended cartridge allegedly utilized in robbing his victims.

“The suspect was later recognized as Mr Chibuike Christian Okafor popularly generally known as Jokef. He collapsed after being rescued by the police and was instantly rushed to the hospital and was later confirmed useless by a Medical physician.”

Ikenga mentioned investigations into the matter had commenced, and that the police was attempting to make use of video footage of the suspect’s arrest by an offended mob, to fish out these liable for his torture.

He additionally quoted the Commissioner of Police, CP Echeng Echeng as vowing to henceforth, prosecute social media customers who unfold falsehood, utilizing their pages whereas additionally calling on individuals to at all times hand suspected criminals to the police for applicable investigation and sanctions, as an alternative of taking the legal guidelines into their arms.