By Amadou Jadama
The police are investigating the death of a man who collapsed in a cell at Sukuta police station Saturday.
The man, Fakebba Colley, 40, a resident of Bundung, collapsed just after he was put in a cell. He was rushed to the Sukuta health center where he was confirmed dead.
According to his widow Yassin Badjie, they had gone to Sukuta police to report a robbery case at a construction site of her brother in Dalaba Estate, being supervised by her husband, the late Fakebba.
“We were alerted that the store was broken into and materials stolen and after inspecting the place, we went to the police in Sukuta and got them to visit the site. But to our surprise, when we returned to the police station, a CID officer suddenly said my husband himself is a suspect and decided to put him in a cell. I was surprised and told them that was nonsense but they insisted and put him in a cell. Soon after that, as I was waiting outside, the police themselves called me to say that my husband has collapsed in the cell. I came back to find them putting him in a car. I wanted to board the car but they refused and I heard the same CID officer laughing and saying ‘this man is dead already’. I followed them in a different car to Sukuta health center where my husband was confirmed dead,” the widow alleged.
The Standard contacted the police for their side of the story.
According to spokesman Lamin Njie, the police are investigating his death.
“The man was put in a cell after he admitted that he himself had taken materials from the store which he came to report to have been robbed. Following his own admission, the police naturally decided to hold him for further investigation. It was never brought to the attention of the police that he may have underlying medical conditions at the time of his detention. However, following the confirmation of his death, police have referred the matter to hospital for an autopsy to be conducted as part of the investigations into the matter,” the PRO said.
