South African Police Raid On Home Of Henry Okah's Wife Turns Deadly
Posted: January 23, 2011 - 00:22

By SaharaReporters, New York

A Nigerian, Uzoama Joseph, died today when South African police officers raided a home belonging to Azukah, wife of detained Nigerian militant, Henry Okah, claiming to be searching for drugs allegedly belonging to some tenants.

Eye witnesses told SaharaReporters that the police, who were armed with dogs and weapons, unleashed one of their dogs on Uzoama, who ran to the next house. He was arrested and handcuffed, and forced to take them to the location of the drugs in the house.

The witnesses said that when Uzoma hesitated, a police officer took out plastic bags from the trunk of a police car and placed them over his head, perhaps to stop him from screaming. The handcuffed Uzoma died soon afterwards.

Nigerians in the Turffontein neighborhood told SaharaReporters that it is routine for SA police officers to torture and kill Nigerians in South Africa extra-judicially, and that Uzoama's treatment amounted to torture.

A state pathologist, Dr. Moeng, who examined Uzoama’s body, told independent observers said he found out that there were no injuries except the cuts on the wrists from the handcuffs, which shows that he must have struggled to breathe before he died.

That position was corroborated by Mantha Rapesu, an official with South Africa's Independent Complaints Directorate. He told SaharaReporters on the phone that he saw wrist only injuries on Uzoama’s body. He said he could not confirm that torture may have been used until post mortem examination has been done.

Police officers at Booysens Police Station in Johannesburg, who were reportedly involved in the "drug-burst" said they can’t speak about the issue until Monday when their commanders would have been fully briefed.

Friends and family members of the deceased said that Nigerian consulate officials refused to come to their aid despite repeated calls to the embassy.

http://saharareporters.com/news-page/south-african-police-raid-home-henry-okahs-wife-turns-deadly

So the man died from suffocation plain and simple. I hope they don't try to cover it up. My main interest is whether they ended up finding any drugs or are the SA police still practicing their xenophobic activities under pretext.

Now this police brutality! I hope these police are held accountable for this heinous act. I am starting to despise SA with all their xenophobic actions. Just look at how they treat people form Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Somalia. The average South African hates Nigerians, because they know we are not afraid of them and will fight them in their own land.

Do people remember when they had those xenophobic riots, in which they killed many Africans, the Nigerians who live in SA met them with AK-47s.

Kalu Akanu:

Now this police brutality! I hope these police are held accountable for this heinous act. I am starting to despise SA with all their xenophobic actions. Just look at how they treat people form Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Somalia. The average South African hates Nigerians, because they know we are not afraid of them and will fight them in their own land.

Do people remember when they had those xenophobic riots, in which they killed many Africans, the Nigerians who live in SA met them with AK-47s.

The sad part is that these same people gladly brutalizing other black African immigrants cower at the sight of whites and Coloured.

savanaha:

The sad part is that these same people gladly brutalizing other black African immigrants cower at the sight of whites and Coloured.

They know the Boers will not play with them. We as Africans think that we would be given respect, since we are their brothers and sisters, but that is not the way they think. They think we are taking their jobs and the reason why they are not progressing.

They should look to the Boer and English settlers who took their land. And also their leaders who sold them out after Apartheid ended.

Kalu Akanu:

They know the Boers will not play with them. We as Africans think that we would be given respect, since we are their brothers and sisters, but that is not the way they think. They think we are taking their jobs and the reason why they are not progressing.

They should look to the Boer and English settlers who took their land. And also their leaders who sold them out after Apartheid ended.

Exactly!! When they were going through Apartheid so many black countries rallied around to help them, now they are supposedly taking their jobs. Yet there are some towns that SAs can't even go into. Shame!!!

Nigerian govt. is the most useless govt. in the world.

They send OBJ to go and settle useless scores in neighbouring country recently. We act big brother to these countries, but fail to act as brothers to our fellow country men.

I can vividly remember clinton going to korea just last year to inquire for the release of americans.

This is a time to act, and we have everything it takes to act, the SA companies are here, if our senate, or reps. or presidency cannot get the SA govt. to punish the people responsible for this, they can as well push DSTV out so that HITV can breath or better still push MTN out, so that GLO can breath.

It's called diplomacy, this happen in our immediate homes, and our homes are supposed to be a reflection of our society. We as Nigerians must really vote for the right set of people.

SA cannot do this to americans or britons because they know their govt. will stand against it. We must stand up for ourselves, we must by all means possible begin to say NO to brutality of our people, this person killed now is related to each of us as Nigerians, cos we could marry his sister or have a brother as a friend tommorrow and if they possibly trace our bloodline we will find out we re related, I see no reason why we shouldn't stand up for our brothers.

They'll continue to kill us in all foreign countries, brutalise us, bully us, until we say NO.

Its high time we say no to this bull shit of killing our people . . . . i wish i could fight back my self (SA KILLING MY PEOPLE). . . it is really painful to me . .those that supposed to do something about it only care about their pocket . . . . we must choose the right people who can fight for nigeria this time . . . .

Why wouldn't they kill Nigerians when our own government turns a blind eye at the killing of Nigerians right here in Nigeria?

chai !! dis people never leave dis their na-me-better-pass attitude ?

Did they find the drugs If so, the man put imself in that predicament and doesnt give us mouth to speak

Of all the ways to die, suffocation is probably one of the most dreadful.   Cambodian Khmer Rouge child soldiers used this method to kill thousands of innocent civilians during Pol Pot's reign of terror during the late 1970's, simply by binding their arms, securing plastic bags over their heads, and then dumping them on the ground to convulse in agony till they expired.

Horrible,  horrible way to go, and it is saddening to see that the South African police used that means of execution on a human being.  Nobody deserves such an end, and I shudder just thinking about it.

Friends and family members of the deceased said that Nigerian consulate officials refused to come to their aid despite repeated calls to the embassy.

sick country. . .only last week in the republic of Benin,d govt kicked out nigerians 4rm one of the largest markets(Missebo) used mainly by igbos without any prior notice, b'cos they said it had been purchased by lebanese. . .come and c how nigerians were running helter skelter like refugees. . .up till now,d embassy has said nothing.In that same country,an american was arrested and locked in cell 4 only a night,d following morning,d man was released with apology 4rm d rep of Benin govt(only God knows the threat they received 4rm d americans).Tiny rep of benin we feed,treating us like dogs,yet we say we have leaders. . .

A Nigerian, Uzoama Joseph, died today when South African police officers raided a home belonging to Azukah, wife of detained Nigerian militant, Henry Okah, claiming to be searching for drugs allegedly belonging to some tenants.

Eye witnesses told SaharaReporters that the police, who were armed with dogs and weapons, unleashed one of their dogs on Uzoama, who ran to the next house. He was arrested and handcuffed, and forced to take them to the location of the drugs in the house.

The witnesses said that when Uzoma hesitated, a police officer took out plastic bags from the trunk of a police car and placed them over his head, perhaps to stop him from screaming.  The handcuffed Uzoma died soon afterwards.

Nigerians in the Turffontein neighborhood told SaharaReporters that it is routine for SA police officers to torture and kill Nigerians in South Africa extra-judicially, and that Uzoama's treatment amounted to torture.

A state pathologist, Dr. Moeng, who examined Uzoama’s body, told independent observers said he found out that there were no injuries except the cuts on the wrists from the handcuffs, which shows that he must have struggled to breathe before he died.

That position was corroborated by Mantha Rapesu, an official with South Africa's Independent Complaints Directorate.  He told SaharaReporters on the phone that he saw wrist only injuries on Uzoama’s body. He said he could not confirm that torture may have been used until post mortem examination has been done.

Police officers at Booysens Police Station in Johannesburg, who were reportedly involved in the "drug-burst" said they can’t  speak about the issue until Monday when their commanders would have been fully briefed.

Friends and family members of the deceased said that Nigerian consulate officials refused to come to their aid despite repeated calls to the embassy.



This shows that he was intentionally killed. Even an idiot won't use such thing to prevent screaming not to talk of "trained police officer". It is very unfortunate. I still wonder what some of these guys are still doing in this country that has shown so much hatred to Nigerians. Several cases of harrassment, intimidation and even killings have been reported yet my people still stick their heads.

From their police to immigration officers, they lack morals and courtesy when it comes to addressing fellow africans most especially Nigerians. Even our police is not brutal like that to foreigners.

Nigerian Govt should query them for the evil act!

Nigerian Govt should query them for the evil act!

that will be done 60years 4rm now. . .

nigerian govt will do nada

they probably tipped off the sa police in the first place

subtle intimidation

okah we can get your family anytime, so play ball and stfu anout your phone calls with niboro

alphabet43:

Did they find the drugs If so, the man put imself in that predicament and doesnt give us mouth to speak

u must be high on otapiapia. . .

While it is sad for any human being to lose their  life in this manner.    We have to take a careful look at the circumstances. I happen to visit the turffontein area on a regular bases because there is a Nigerian restaurant there where I normally get my weekly dose of egusi ,ogbono, oha, bitter leaf soup and jollof rice. Turffontein has been turned in to a drug dealing cesspool by Nigerians. You see them on almost every street corner peddling their trade in broad day light. The have ruined many peoples lives with their trade, school children in that area especially Forest Hill High and Turffontein High no longer attend classes. I see them buying drug from these Nigerians and some of the Nigerians even sleep with these underage girls from the highs schools and offer them drugs as payment. I was not “told” about this , this is what I see every time I go there.    It make me feel bad and I do not blame South Africans when they show their hatred towards us. There are many other African immigrants there but you don’t see them getting arrested by the police because they stay away from crime. It is only my Nigerian brothers that you will see committing crime in broad day and walking with their shoulders in the air and their signature pointed Italian shoes, screaming at the top of their lungs on their cellphone like they own the world. You can spot a drug dealing Nigerian a mile away just from his attitude and posture.    Nigerians more or less brought the bad name they have in SA upon themselves.

That being said I have not ruled out the possibility of this being a Nigerian Government ordered hit. Knowing how demonic our politicians are , it is quite possible that this guy was targeted because of his affiliations with okah.

But come to think of , knowing how wealthy Okah is ,I doubt anyone working for him will be residing in an area like turffontein which is a crime hotspot. He is a smart guy ,I don’t think he would want his men to be in an area that attracts the police. Then again I could be wrong.

[size=30pt]My question is why did he run if he was not guilty?[/size]


As for the Nigerian Embassy ,I wonder why you guys are complaining.    Some of you here are vouching for Jonathan and the PDP to continue to enslave Nigerians but here you are complaining about Nigerian embassy. Please stop complaining, you get and deserve what you vote for, plain and simple.    kapish!

playmode:

While it is sad for any human being to lose their  life in this manner.    We have to take a careful look at the circumstances. I happen to visit the turffontein area on a regular bases because there is a Nigerian restaurant there where I normally get my weekly dose of egusi ,ogbono, oha, bitter leaf soup and jollof rice. Turffontein has been turned in to a drug dealing cesspool by Nigerians. You see them on almost every street corner peddling their trade in broad day light. The have ruined many peoples lives with their trade, school children in that area especially Forest Hill High and Turffontein High no longer attend classes. I see them buying drug from these Nigerians and some of the Nigerians even sleep with these underage girls from the highs schools and offer them drugs as payment. I was not “told” about this , this is what I see every time I go there.    It make me feel bad and I do not blame South Africans when they show their hatred towards us. There are many other African immigrants there but you don’t see them getting arrested by the police because they stay away from crime.

U have a point. . .what a responsible country will do,is 2 deport whosoever or dump d person in jail,not kill thru suffocation

It is only my Nigerian brothers that you will see committing crime in broad day and walking with their shoulders in the air and their signature pointed Italian shoes, screaming at the top of their lungs on their cellphone like they own the world. You can spot a drug dealing Nigerian a mile away just from his attitude and posture.    Nigerians more or less brought the bad name they have in SA upon themselves.

seems like its in every nigerian's blood *especially screaming over their cell phones*. . .In all the countries I have been 2,its exactly what I notice.U c them screaming ontop of their voice even at night like they own d world and I am like WTH

philip0906:

sick country. . .only last week in the republic of Benin,d govt kicked out nigerians 4rm one of the largest markets(Missebo) used mainly by igbos without any prior notice, b'cos they said it had been purchased by lebanese. . .come and c how nigerians were running helter skelter like refugees. . .up till now,d embassy has said nothing.In that same country,an american was arrested and locked in cell 4 only a night,d following morning,d man was released with apology 4rm d rep of Benin govt(only God knows the threat they received 4rm d americans).Tiny rep of benin we feed,treating us like dogs,yet we say we have leaders. . .

shut the eff up, how do you feed them

pride will not kill nigerians

playmode:

While it is sad for any human being to lose their  life in this manner.    We have to take a careful look at the circumstances. I happen to visit the turffontein area on a regular bases because there is a Nigerian restaurant there where I normally get my weekly dose of egusi ,ogbono, oha, bitter leaf soup and jollof rice. Turffontein has been turned in to a drug dealing cesspool by Nigerians. You see them on almost every street corner peddling their trade in broad day light. The have ruined many peoples lives with their trade, school children in that area especially Forest Hill High and Turffontein High no longer attend classes. I see them buying drug from these Nigerians and some of the Nigerians even sleep with these underage girls from the highs schools and offer them drugs as payment. I was not “told” about this , this is what I see every time I go there.    It make me feel bad and I do not blame South Africans when they show their hatred towards us. There are many other African immigrants there but you don’t see them getting arrested by the police because they stay away from crime. It is only my Nigerian brothers that you will see committing crime in broad day and walking with their shoulders in the air and their signature pointed Italian shoes, screaming at the top of their lungs on their cellphone like they own the world. You can spot a drug dealing Nigerian a mile away just from his attitude and posture.    Nigerians more or less brought the bad name they have in SA upon themselves.

That being said I have not ruled out the possibility of this being a Nigerian Government ordered hit. Knowing how demonic our politicians are , it is quite possible that this guy was targeted because of his affiliations with okah.

But come to think of , knowing how wealthy Okah is ,I doubt anyone working for him will be residing in an area like turffontein which is a crime hotspot. He is a smart guy ,I don’t think he would want his men to be in an area that attracts the police. Then again I could be wrong.

[size=30pt]My question is why did he run if he was not guilty?[/size]


As for the Nigerian Embassy ,I wonder why you guys are complaining.    Some of you here are vouching for Jonathan and the PDP to continue to enslave Nigerians but here you are complaining about Nigerian embassy. Please stop complaining, you get and deserve what you vote for, plain and simple.    kapish!

gbammm

most sensable commit so far

1.) it is not SA police but the nigerian government that have given them the go a held to kill him

2.) 90% of nairalanders are in dispora thus 2nd even 3rd class citizens in another mans country

3.)why will any country allow nigerians to destroy it for them,.,.,.,.,.,.,

4.) i remember weeks ago were a nigerian was kidnapping in india,,,i mean c,mon

5.) SA is non of Nigerians business and vice versa. because our government can not even find the person that killed bola ige,.,.,. it shows the level of intelligence's our leader or should i say people have.
i mean 2011 we even still talking of zoning"""hisses"" nigeria is just pathetic i tell ya

alj harem:

shut the eff up, how do you feed them

pride will not kill nigerians

u should have asked what I meant rather than taking it p. . .The country makes money 4rm goods dat flow in2 their country 4rm across d border,make money 4rm taxes they impose on foreigners(which r extremely high) and we have d largest foreign population there,close d border and they r finished(it has happened b4). . .moreso,I have lived there 4 12years. . .

alj harem:

gbammm

most sensable commit so far

seems like ur desperation has shut ur common sense. . .

philip0906:

u should have asked what I meant rather than taking it p. . .The country makes money 4rm goods dat flow in2 their country 4rm across d border,make money 4rm taxes they impose on foreigners(which r extremely high) and we have d largest foreign population there,close d border and they r finished(it has happened b4). . .moreso,I have lived there 4 12years. . .

and so

so it means nigeria feeds them

if nigerians think they feed them, then they should stop feeding them because of some nigerian (mostly igbos) traders were deported.

nigerians should stop acting like they are they gaint of africa when they clearly are not

look, this is just the beginning of nigeria citizens many more suffering is still going to happen to nigerian citizens in dispora unless they come home and do something about it

nigeria i laugh in igbo

philip0906:

 
U have a point. . .what a responsible country will do,is 2 deport whosoever or dump d person in jail,not kill thru suffocation  
seems like its in every nigerian's blood *especially screaming over their cell phones*. . .In all the countries I have been 2,its exactly what I notice.U c them screaming ontop of their voice even at night like they own d world and I am like WTH  

U are right about that.   what a painful way to go!

It is the norm here ,almost every South African complain about our phone manners.What baffles is why some of us hold our cellphones with our elbows pointing sidways instead of downwards.I guess it is a new way of showing off that they are "BIG MEN"   .You can't mistake that loud baritone "GUY HOW FAR NOW,WETIN DEY HAPPEN?" anywhere in SA even from a 100 meters away

One South African once asked in his own word "bro ,why do Nigerians like fighting a lot?" ,I was like "excuse me?" .He said " I have noticed every time I see Nigerians talking either to someone or on their cell phone they are always fighting because they shout at the top of their lungs and you can the expression on their face that it is intense".

Needless to say i burst out in laughter and explained to him that that is how most Nigerians talk.   .The dude didn’t believe me, he said people don't talk like that unless they are fighting.

The SA police can easily spot a Nigerian because of they way most of them dress here.Their signature dress code is :

Shirt with the two top buttons open to expose their hairy chest.
Un-bottoned blazer or Suit
Jeans or Trousers
Pointed Italian shoes (nicknamed by South Africans as Nigerian shoes)
At least 2 gold chain and 2 gold rings
Big Gold or Silver watch
2 to 3 cellphone in their hands
Dark Sunglasses even at night
Toothpick in their mouths even when they had their last meal 10 hours ago]
Sometimes a walking stick with a red hat and feather

and to top it off ,they walk like something is stuck up their backside ,with their chest out and their arms spread apart like they are about to fly  

You see them hailing each other like : "Chairman sir", "Igwe" , "Chief chief" , "Honorable chair", "Odenigbo 1 of ojuoma local government" ," maga must pay","ezego" and all sorts or annoyingly ridiculous fake titles and nicknames which they have bestowed on themselves because they have some small change in their pockets.

What i can clearly see is that most of these guy are from the "village" with little or no education and absolutely no IQ (except for 419 and drugs)

alj harem:

and so

so it means nigeria feeds them

if nigerians think they feed them, then they should stop feeding them because of some nigerian (mostly igbos) traders were deported.

nigerians should stop acting like they are they gaint of africa when they clearly are not

look, this is just the beginning of nigeria citizens many more suffering is still going to happen to nigerian citizens in dispora unless they come home and do something about it

nigeria i laugh in igbo

I now c. . .seems like u have never left d shores of naija b4 and u have somthing against nigerians in disapora. . .

What are those Nigerians doing in SA; let them come back to their own country.

playmode:

U are right about that.   what a painful way to go!

It is the norm here ,almost every South African complain about our phone manners.What baffles is why some of us hold our cellphones with our elbows pointing sidways instead of downwards.I guess it is a new way of showing off that they are "BIG MEN"   .You can't mistake that loud baritone "GUY HOW FAR NOW,WETIN DEY HAPPEN?" anywhere in SA even from a 100 meters away

One South African once asked in his own word "bro ,why do Nigerians like fighting a lot?" ,I was like "excuse me?" .He said " I have noticed every time I see Nigerians talking either to someone or on their cell phone they are always fighting because they shout at the top of their lungs and you can the expression on their face that it is intense".

Needless to say i burst out in laughter and explained to him that that is how most Nigerians talk.   .The dude didn’t believe me, he said people don't talk like that unless they are fighting.

The SA police can easily spot a Nigerian because of they way most of them dress here.Their signature dress code is :

Office shirt with the two top buttons open to expose their hairy chest.
Un-bottoned blazer or Suit
Jeans or Trousers
Pointed Italian shoes (nicknamed by Nigerian as Nigerian shoes)
At least 2 gold chain and 2 gold rings
Big Gold or Silver watch
2 to 3 cellphone in their hands
Dark Sunglasses even at night
Toothpick in their mouths even when they had their last meal 10 hours ago]
Sometimes a walking stick with a red hat and feather

and to top it off ,they walk like something is stuck up their backside ,with their chest out and their arms spread apart like they are about to fly  

You see them hailing each other like : "Chairman sir", "Igwe" , "Chief chief" , "Honorable chair", "Odenigbo 1 of ojuoma local government" ," maga must pay","ezego" and all sorts or annoyingly ridiculous fake titles and nicknames which they have bestowed on themselves because they have some small change in their pockets.

What i can clearly see is that most of these guy are from the "village" with little or no education and absolutely no IQ (except for 419 and drugs)

and is that not annoying

if i am not a nigerian myself, i will dislike that attitude from people from that country

it is annoying

otokx:

What are those Nigerians doing in SA; let them come back to their own country.

thank you oooo

na by force say make you travel

philip0906:

I now c. . .seems like u have n[b]ever left d shores of naija b4 and u have somthing against nigerians in disapora. . .[/b]

you make me laugh, i have nothing against dispora people of nigeria

all i am saying is that,
1.) we nigerians that are aboard are annoying

2.) we believe we are the best maybe because of oil and the population

3.)all sort of crime is commented by nigerians in dispora (not that other countries do not do it) ; but it is a reflection of what we are in nigeria,,.,.,. imagine a nigerian caught for kidnapping in india just like in nigeria

and the list go on and on

alphabet43:

Did they find the drugs If so, the man put imself in that predicament and doesnt give us mouth to speak

Is this your own system of justice?