A middle-age man in Ondo State, Aanu Olanusimi, has
allegedly died in the custody of the Idanre Police Division in the state,
SaharaReporters has learnt.
Olanusimi, a farmer, died in November shortly after being he
was accused and arrested for allegedly stealing cocoa from the farm of a local
chief, Akinruli, at Irikose in Ago Oni Rice Village, Idanre.
In a petition written to the Assistant Inspector-General of
Police in charge of Zone 11, Osogbo, Osun State, through the family’s lawyer,
Fidolyn Akindiose, mother of the deceased, Comfort Olanusimi, said that her son
was on his farmland when a police officer identified as 'Londo' from the Idanre
Division came in company with Chief Akinruli to arrest him.
According to her, upon asking for the offence committed by
her son, the police accused him of stealing cocoa seedlings from Akinruli’s
farm.
Mrs Olanusimi added that her son decided to follow the
police personnel and Akinruli on a motorcycle to the police station.
The woman further stated that while she was already set to
visit the police station, a motorcyclist came to tell her that her son vomited
while being taking away and had been rushed to a hospital in Idanre.
She revealed that she was later told again that her son had
been transferred to a hospital in Akure, the state capital, but on getting
there she found out that he was dead.
She explained that despite the brutal killing of her son,
the police had refused to release his corpse to the family for burial.
The petition read in parts, “Up until this moment, the body
of our client’s son has not been released to his mother.
“It is our contention that the act of the said Chief
Akinruli, his labourer and the investigating police officer known as Londo,
constitutes criminal acts to wit false accusation, professional negligence,
criminal conspiracy, murder and failure to produce his corpse.
“It is our appeal to the AIG to use his office to take over
the case from the homicide section of the state Criminal Investigation
Department for further investigation and for the release of Aanu’s corpse so
that justice can be done.”
When contacted, spokesperson for the police in Ondo, Femi
Joseph, revealed that the Commissioner of Police in the state, Adie Undie, has
waded into the case.
Joseph confirmed that the incident happened at Idanre Police
Station and was currently being investigated.
He said, “It is untrue that we are still withholding the
corpse of the man.”
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