Sleeping kidnap suspect dies in police custody

A week after he was arrested for alleged armed robbery and attempted kidnapping and fell into a slumber, a middle-aged man whose identity is yet to be known, has died, still sleeping, in police custody. The Ondo State police command spokesman, Femi Joseph, told reporters yesterday at the command headquarters in Akure, the Ondo State […]

A week after he was arrested for alleged armed robbery and attempted kidnapping and fell into a slumber, a middle-aged man whose identity is yet to be known, has died, still sleeping, in police custody.

The Ondo State police command spokesman, Femi Joseph, told reporters yesterday at the command headquarters in Akure, the Ondo State capital, that the suspect never woke up from sleep.

The suspect, who had allegedly gone in company of other members of his gang to carry out a robbery operation in a pharmacy in Owo, Ondo State, was said to have fallen asleep at the scene due to the effect of a pain killer, tramadol, it was believed he had taken.

During the parade of the suspect alongside others last week, the Joseph had said the suspect and two others still at large had allegedly burgled the pharmacy.

The PPRO further said that the owner of the shop was lucky to escape through the back exit door on sighting the armed gang. 

He added that the suspects later came out of the shop and snatched one Boxer Bajaj motorcycle at gun-point from one Daodu Wale, who had arrived at the pharmacy to buy drugs.

While two of the suspects were said to have escaped on Wale’s motorcycle, the third one attempted to use the motorcycle they came with to escape from the scene.

But he stumbled and fell and was overpowered by passers-by and sympathizers, according to the PPRO. The suspect then collapsed into a sleep and never woke up till his death on Monday.

The policeman disclosed that one cut-to-size locally-made gun was recovered from him, while a 400mg of the tramadol tablet was also found in his pocket. 

The corpse of the suspect had been deposited at the state general hospital for autopsy while police efforts to identify him continue.