There is growing tension within security circles following the death of a 28-year-old in Arua central police station (CPS) cells.
The body of Philliam Orodriyo, a resident of Kasua village, Pokea parish, Pajulu sub-county in Arua district was recovered in the cells on Monday morning, May 18.
He was arrested by Flying Squad Unit officers attached to Arua Central Police Station on Friday morning for alleged theft of a motorcycle. He was locked up at Arua CPS on Friday evening where he is said to have been tortured by the officers.
“I was planning to go to court to listen to the offence levied against my brother because what I know is, that boy is not a thief. He has never stolen anything and he has a motorcycle. Now how can he go and steal another motorcycle?” David Malaja, the deceased’s elder brother said.
“Unfortunately, I was only informed that he died in the cells even before reaching court, so I felt shocked and I don’t know what to do. What I heard from the police liaison’s officer (CLO) is that they don’t know whether the boy had some sickness before,” Malaja added.
According to Malaja, at the time of his arrest, Orodriyo was fine without any record of accident or sickness.
“But when I saw the body, the face had some scars including swollen mouth, some cuts and damages on his head. However, I couldn’t say anything because post-mortem has not yet been done,” Malaja said.
Orodriyo spent the entire Saturday and Sunday in the cells with other male suspects but was later moved to the female cell after he reportedly became violent and sickly.
An emergency meeting was convened involving the LCV chairperson, Pajule LC III chairperson, Resident District Commissioner and police over the suspect’s death.
The deceased’s body was later removed from the cells only to be found with clotted blood on the mouth, bruises on the head and cuts on the forehead.
Marlon Avutia, the Pajulu sub county chairperson where the deceased hailed from has called for extensive investigations to establish the circumstances surrounding his death.
Micah Avubieng, the Police Community Liaison Officer who chaired the emergency meeting and later led the relatives to pick the body from the cells declined to comment on the matter saying he will only do so once authorised by the Public Relation Officer.
The West Nile Region Police Spokesperson, Josephine Angucia declined to comment until the postmortem report is issued.
