TheCable

Inibehe Effiong, a human rights lawyer, has countered the claim of the Akwa Ibom police command that Kubiat Isaac, a graduate of the University of Uyo, was sick before he died in custody.

Isaac was said to have been arrested on August 29 by police officers attached to B Division, Ewet Housing Estate.

Odiko Macdon, spokesperson of Akwa Ibom police command, had said Isaac was arrested for being a suspect of armed robbery and cultism.

Macdon said the 28-year-old prospective youth corps member became sick in police custody and was taken to the police clinic for treatment.

Speaking on the development, Effiong, the lawyer representing Issac’s family, said the deceased was healthy and had no underlying health condition when the police arrested him.

The human rights lawyer said there was never a case of armed robbery and cultism against the deceased and that he was neither wanted nor invited by the police.

Effiong accused the police of torturing the deceased to death.

“There is no truth in what the police said. The annoying part is that the PPRO knows it. He knows it. The young man was tortured to death,” he said.

“There was nothing wrong with the young man. The neighbor saw him when he left the house. Even where he sat to drink, we’ve gone there to investigate. They picked him very healthy. He had no pre-existing medical condition.

“Only for them to beat the young man to death and now come out with this very annoying statement by the PPRO. There was never a case of armed robbery, cultism against the young man. There was never a time he was wanted or invited by the police.”

Effiong said the family will petition the police headquarters in Abuja and the Police Service Commission (PSC) over the incident.