Upcoming artist, Paul Obukohwo dies after alleged torture in police detention

A 24-year-old upcoming artist, Paul Obukohwo who went to bail his friend from police detention in Asaba, has allegedly died in the custody of the Delta State Police Command.

The young man died reportedly died on Saturday morning as a result of the injuries he sustained at the hands of the police.

Obukohwo was confirmed dead at the Federal Medical Centre, Asaba, where he was rushed to for medical treatment by the police.

At the time of filing this report, his remains are still at the FMC, Asaba. The policemen who rushed him to the hospital were said to have fled the when he was pronounced dead.

It was learnt that men of the Rapid Response Squad, RRS, allegedly arrested a 19-year-old friend of the deceased, Prosper Odili, around 8:00 am on Wednesday along Redeemed road in Okpanam, Oshimili North Local Government Area.

It was also gathered that the policemen took the said Prosper to his house and searched same with nothing incriminating found. They took him back and detained him at the police headquarters, Asaba.

The deceased, Paul Obukohwo, approached the RRS office to bail his friend, Prosper same day at about 5:00 pm. Shockingly, the operatives arrested and handcuffed him, allegedly beat him to stupor and inflicted grievous injuries on him before they threw him into cell where he collapsed.

The operatives at first rushed him to the police clinic but they couldn't handle the case and referred him to a specialist hospital in Asaba.

The specialist hospital also couldn't handle the situation just as they referred him to the Federal Medical Centre, where he died on Saturday morning.

When contacted for comments, Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, in a WhatsApp message sent to our correspondent in Warri, said, “He fell sick and was taken to the hospital, diagnosed of low sugar, he was referred to Asaba Specialist Hospital and later to FMC before he died.”