Nigerian dies in South Africa Police custody

Dozens of Nigerians residing in South Africa on Saturday led a protest match outside a medical facility in Johannesburg, following the death of a Nigerian in police custody in the city.

An eye-witness account suggested that the unnamed 33 year old suspect was a drug peddler who swallowed his ware when he was chased and captured by the police on West Street in the Kempton Park area of the city.

The account was however spurned by the Chairman of the Nigerian Union in Gauteng Province, who said the victim was beaten to death by the police.

Hordes of protesters gathered outside the hospital and tried to prevent the police from taking the body away for forensic examination.
The forensic experts had to come outside to retrieve the body.

The police officials, who would not speak to the media on the scene, assured the Nigerian Union that the matter had been referred to the Independent Police Investigations Directorate (IPID) and would be looked into in the interest of justice.

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