Whodunit: Did Police Murder Missing Nigerian in Brazil

Adeyinka Olaiya, Editor-at-Large, Sao Paulo/

Members of the Nigerian community in Brazil are crying for justice as they dig into the mystery surrounding the death of a kinsman who the police claimed was found drunk in the street and taken to a hospital where he suddenly died.

The man identified as Olawale Balogun aka Sharon was declared missing in Sao Paulo by his friends and family in February only for the state civilian police authorities to tell them yesterday that he died while receiving treatment at the hospital and they have buried him without contacting his people.

The late Balogun, who hailed from Abeokuta, in Ogun State was confirmed dead by the State Police authorities after joint investigations conducted by the police and some Nigerians living in Brazil.

The victim had lived for about 20 years in Brazil. He was declared missing in February, following his complaints of constant police harassments in the area where he lived on the outskirts of Sao Paulo State.

According to the police homicide investigative department, the Balogun’s death is suspicious and it demands a profound investigation to actually determine the cause of his death.

In a statement released by the state police to the Nigerian representatives at the police station yesterday, Balogun was taken to the hospital by two military police officers on March 28, 2020 after he was found drunk and fallen by the side of the street near a bar in his area of residence. They said that he eventually died in the hospital at exactly 18.20 hours.
 
According to the police situation report, authorities are still awaiting the results of the autopsy in order to conclude their investigations. The medical report is expected to clear the doubts regarding the real cause of Balogun’s death.

Meanwhile, two police officers linked with the situation have been identified as 24-year-old Victor Rabelo dos Santos, and Fábio Micheleto Rodrigues, 25.

The statements made by the officers at the police station regarding the circumstances surrounding Balogun’s death has been described as contradictory and such could not be agreed upon as a definite solution to the cause of his death.

Balogun’s death and the sudden burial without the consent of the family, without contacting the Nigerian embassy, without the proper procedures were pointed as proofs that he was murdered.

Amid tears, one Mr Larry aka Acapon, a member of the Nigerian community who was also at the police station to represent the family of the deceased, said, “Nigerians cannot be dying like this in Brazil. It is no doubt that the police executed him and quickly buried the body to avoid a proper investigation. It is sad; that even the result of the autopsy is not out till date. This is to show that the Police got rid of his life for reasons best known to them. I do hope that the Nigerian embassy would not let it go like that. We call the Federal Government of Nigeria to intervene in this matter for such not to happen again.”

1