Operatives of
Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Oyo State Police Command, have allegedly tortured a
50-year-old photographer, Kola Adeyeye, to death.
It was
gathered that the victim, late Adeyeye, was arrested along with four others in
the Challenge area penultimate Friday.
The victim was
said to be taking a herb drink at a joint when the policemen raided the spot
around 8.30pm, arresting everybody at the joint.
They were said
to have been taken to SARS office in Dugbe, where their statements were taken.
A source told
Punch that after rounds of beatings, the suspects were taken to a courtyard,
where the head of the SARS team interviewed them.
He was said to
have cleared all the suspects, but ordered that they pay for bail before their
release from detention.
It was learnt
that while the four others paid between N25,000 and N40,000, the victim could
not find anyone to raise the bail sum.
He was
reportedly kept in detention for seven days before a man, sent by his pastor,
paid N3,500 for his bail. He was being taken home on a motorcycle when he
slumped and died.
One of the
suspects arrested with the victim said his own family paid N40,000 for his
release.
He said, “We
were arrested on Friday, April 21, 2017, around 8.30pm. The man was taking
herbs, while some of us were smoking. When we demanded to know our offences,
the police said they were conducting a raid.
“They took us
to their headquarters at Dugbe. When we arrived there, they first took our
statements. They then took us to a room, where they descended on us. The
beating was serious.
“The elderly
man kept telling them that he was a photographer, but they didn’t listen to
him.
“Later, they
took us to a courtyard, called Assembly, where their boss interviewed us. By
Monday, three persons had been released after paying some money.
“The policemen
visited my house for a search and they did not find anything incriminating.
They searched the man’s house as well without seeing anything. Their senior
officer then said we were innocent and could be released as well after paying
for bail.
“My family
paid N40,000 for bail, but nobody showed up for the photographer. If he had
been released on time, he probably wouldn’t have died.”
The resident,
who tried to bail Kola, said he had gone to the SARS office for the bail of a
suspect in another case when he sighted the victim.
He said when
the police demanded N30,000 for his bail, he contacted the victim’s pastor, who
urged him to negotiate the sum.
He said, “When
they said I should bring N30,000, I called his pastor to inform him and he said
I should negotiate with them.
“I later
returned on Friday and when the policemen saw me, they said I could bring
N5,000 because the man was seriously sick and needed urgent medical attention.
I told them that all I had was just N2,000. I borrowed N1,500 from a motorcycle
rider that took me there to make the money N3,500.
“They said the
money must be complete. I left to look for the balance. But before I got back
to the place, I discovered they had asked another motorcycle rider to take him
away because of his critical condition.
“It was on the
way home that he slumped on the motorcycle and died. As I speak with you, they
still have his mobile phone, which they seized pending when we would pay the
balance of N1,500.”
The victim’s
younger brother, Olaolu Adeyeye, said a neighbour alerted him to the arrest.
He said, “I
saw two of those that had been bailed and they said they paid N25,000 each
before they were released. I didn’t have any money and had to call other
relatives to raise the money. When the money was not forthcoming, I asked my
neighbour, a doctor, to help us. I was later told they had brought him home. He
was dead with a lot of torture marks.”
Olaolu
described the victim as a hard working photographer who was killed for nothing.
The Oyo State
Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ajisebutu Adekunle, confirmed the
incident, but denied that the police were responsible for Kola’s death.
He said, “The
suspect was not tortured in any way. Are you aware that he died after his
release from detention? The police did not torture him. Death can come
anywhere, anytime. You are aware that people sleep in their homes without
waking up. So, his death has nothing to do with his arrest and detention.
“He was not
the only one arrested. He was arrested during raids of black spots. The command
has embarked on raids of criminal hideouts to curtail the activities of
criminals in Oyo State. On the issue of the bail money, I will find out. If it
is true, appropriate measures will be taken against those responsible. Bail is
free.”
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