The family of 18-year-old Jagiri Mborilen suspects foul play in his death while in police custody in Chamba, within the Nanumba North Municipality of the Northern Region.
Elder brother of the deceased, Ganiw Abass shared that he visited Jagiri earlier in the morning around 8 o'clock and assured him that the family was working on his bail.
Later, he was shocked to receive a call informing him that his brother had committed suicide.
Mr. Abass found the circumstances suspicious, noting, "It is strange that in just a matter of hours, someone who was okay had passed. I was called this afternoon after visiting my brother earlier this morning, only to be told he had committed suicide. I asked how he got the rope in the cells to commit suicide. He was sitting on the ground with the rope hanging around his neck."
When asked to convey the body, Mr. Abass informed the police that he was not the family head and could not make such a decision without consulting the family elders. He explained, "I told them I am not the head of the family and cannot take any decision unless I inform the elders and the assemblyman, which I later did."
The body was subsequently moved to Bimbilla for examination and then handed over to the family for burial. Mr. Abass insisted, "They sent the body to Bimbilla and later gave it to the family for burial, but I won't agree. This matter has to be investigated."
Background
Jagiri Mborilen was accused of theft by a woman who allegedly consulted a soothsayer, who named Jagiri as the thief. Jagiri’s elder brother, Ganiw, was asked to bring him to the soothsayer’s shrine, which he did. When the soothsayer accused Jagiri of the theft, he denied it, but the soothsayer insisted on his guilt.
The matter was then taken to the police station, where Jagiri was detained. The police later claimed that Jagiri had admitted to the theft, and the family was told they would need to repay the stolen money.
Mr. Abass stated that he had discussed repayment arrangements with the woman who accused Jagiri, suspecting that his brother might have been coerced into confessing at the police station. "We suspect they did something to him at the police station to force him to admit he stole the money, but we even agreed to pay the money," he added.
After discussing bail arrangements with his brother, Mr. Abass was devastated to learn of Jagiri's death. The body is currently with the family after being brought from Bimbilla by the police.
Credit: Martina Bugri
