Lawyer to the family of late Kubiat Isaac, the intending National Youths Service Corps, NYSC, member who died in police cell in Akwa Ibom State, Barr Inibehe Effiong, has said medical report revealed that the deceased was tortured to death.
The autopsy was ordered by the state commissioner of Police, Mr Andrew Amiengheme, amid controversy surrounding the cause of his death while in detention.
Speaking with newsmen on Monday in Uyo on phone, the family Lawyer Effiong who witnessed the autopsy along with family members of the deceased said it was a horrifying experience.
His words, “He (Kubiat Isaac) died from torture. The pathologist has finished the process and he has addressed us. It’s just for him to submit his report. He has told us what happened. He opened up the body and I saw everything with my eyes. He had an injury in the brain.
“You can see that he was tortured to death. It’s so terrible, I have never witnessed that in my life. There was nothing in his body that was not brought out; nothing was left. There was no way he could have survived.
“They tortured the young man to death and it is not only one police officer that did it, of course, but it was also a team of officers; they are trying to hide the others”
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Odiko MacDon said whenever the result of the autopsy is officially submitted to the command, it would be made public.
“It (Command) doesn’t have the result of the autopsy yet. How do I speak about it when I have not seen it?. When we get the real report we are ready to talk about it. The moment the autopsy is officially handed to us, we will make it public.
“Whatever steps the authority will take will be made known to the public. The first step we have taken is that we have arrested the officer, he is now in detention. We had ordered for the autopsy, we have to know the truth and we want justice to be done. So, the young man will carry the cross if he is guilty. That is how our system works.
“We have already made up our minds. We ordered that investigation and with all sincerity, the reason he (victim) was arrested was the criminal allegations against him. But our worry is: Did our officers follow the right procedures? What happened to this young man? Was his death a result of their action or was it natural?
“The moment we get these, we will let the whole world know and he (the officer) will face it. But let us follow the right procedures. Neither you nor I nor the lawyer has the right to say anyone is guilty, only the law court can do that” MacDon said.