Friday, June 29, 2007

Obiora case to be reopened

State officials have ordered a special agency to reopen a probe of alleged police brutality, and investigate more thoroughly the death of immigrant Eugene Obiora.

Obiora was a 48-year-old native of Nigeria who died after police in Trondheim used a special maneuver to subdue him, after he'd created a disturbance in a social welfare office.

An internal affairs division within the police (Spesialenheten for politisaker) investigated the death, which has prompted public protests and charges of police brutality. The probe concluded that the officers involved hadn't intentionally carried out any measures that would have stopped or hindered Obiora from breathing. No case was brought against the officers.

Now the state's Director General of Public Prosecutions (Riksadvokaten) has said it needs more information on the case, and wants more thorough questioning of witnesses, the police officers involved and what the police knew about the risks of using a controversial grip around his throat that led to his suffocation.

"The goal is to gather more information... to evaluate whether any offenses have been committed on the part of the police," said state prosecutor Tor-Aksel Busch on Thursday afternoon.

Source: Aftenposten English Web Desk/NTB

No comments: