Two police officers accused for death of Osamyia Aikpitanhi

Osamyia Aikpitanhi, 23 years old from Nigeria died on the 09/06/2007, when he was deported back to Nigeria (1). The Iberia flight took off from Madrid and had to land later to Alicante, Spain, when the police officers discovered he was dead.

Osamyia's family accused the two police officers from La Policia Nacional who escorted Osamyia with three more people, to beat him up. According to el Pais, he possible died for swelling the bandage the two police officers put inside his mouth, to stop biting the police officers (2).

Osamyia's brother, Chester, believed his brother was very bad beaten up by the two officers police. He spoke to one of the other three Nigerians people who were deported in the same flight, and one of them said he saw the police beating up Osamyia. Chester affirmed that his brother was tied up in both hands and feet and they put plasters on his mouth, to stop Osamyia to resist to be deported.

According to the Spanish press, the Spanish Home office needs to pay 180.000 euros to the family, the police officers might be sent to prison for 3 years and they will not be allowed to work as police officers anymore (3).

The court hearing, according to the family's lawyer Pedro de Bernardo will be heard on the 16/17th March 2011 in Elche (Alicante) (4).

People who are deported from Spain, are normally tied up and currently now, they are also wearing a helmet; belts and other horrible measures use to stop them to resist their deportation. Each deportee has to be escorted by two police officers from La Policia Nacional.

The Iberia deportation flight was taking 97 passengers in this flight. And for what the Spanish press has published on this news, none passenger is mentioned as coming forward as a witness.

Notes

(1) www.elpais.com/articulo/espana/nigeriano/papeles/fallece/avion/era/deportado/custodia/policial/elpepuesp/20070611elpepinac_18/Tes

(2) www.elpais.com/articulo/espana/nigeriano/papeles/fallece/avion
/era/deportado/custodia/policial/elpepuesp/20070611elpepinac_18/Tes

(3) www.diarioinformacion.com/elche/2009/05/06/elche-piden-policias-vigilaron-nigeriano-muerto-pleno-vuelo/882743.html

(4) www.lasprovincias.es/20101019/comunitatvalenciana/provincia_alicante/muerte-nigeriano-durante-deportacion-201010191100.html