.Our son is alive – Parents

•CP Lagos exonerates command from suspect’s death inside cell

By Evelyn Usman

Parents of one of the suspects reported to have died inside a cell at the Lion Building , Lags Island, Monday , yesterday said their son was alive.

This is just as the Lagos State Police Command has exonerated itself from the death of another suspected phone thief who was found dead inside the cell of a police post under Adeniji Acdele division last Saturday.

Mr and Mrs Kayode Sunday , who visited the Lagos State Police Command admitted that their son, Kayode Olasunkanmi , was arrested alongside other suspects raided by the Police last Friday . But they explained that Olasunkanmi , who was asthmatic, had an attack while in Police custody and was rushed to the hospital.

They stated further that they approached the Police and pleaded that their son should be released to them.

Olasunkanmi’s mother , Mrs Rafat kayode told journalists that “I told the police that we usually applied local treatment whenever he was under attack and he was released to us.

But to our shock, we read in the papers yesterday (Tuesday) , that the boy that was sick was dead. Our son, Olasunkanmi , is not dead , he is alive “, she maintained.

Nigerian Police

Earlier, Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Police Command, stated emphatically that none of the 184 persons arrested during raid bore Tope, according to report in the media.

He stated rather,that the only death that was recorded was that at the police post under Adeniji Adele division. Owoseni was however quick to add that the death was not as a result of police torture.

He disclosed that the deceased, Atansuyi Ifedolapo was found dangling from the roof of the cell, indicating that he could have committed suicide. From the picture purportedly taken at the scene, it showed that late Ifedolapo tied his shirt to a metal in the cell , with which he hung himself.

A coroner inquest according to Owoseni, would be done to ascertain the exact cause of the death.

He explained that information at his disposal revealed that when father of late Ifedolapo visited the police post last Saturday morning, he met his son alive.

He said “ It is true that the suspect was taken to one of the police posts being covered by Adeniji Adele . The allegation by his father said he was beaten by owner of the phone he was accused to have stolen. He was taken to the police station on Friday . By Saturday morning , his father went to see him around 8am, . The Investigative Police Officer IPO and the father confirmed that he was alive.

“The father uttered a statement ‘ You are my son , if you don’t confess to me , I will tell the police to take you to Anti- Robbery . But during routine check at the cell, he was found dangling from the roof. Nevertheless, we are still investigating”.