A 22-year-old Nigerian student, Matthew Ajibade, who suffered from bipolar disorder had on Friday, January 2, 2015 died in the isolation cell of a Savannah county jail after a scuffle with the officials.
Following Ajibade’s death, two Georgia Sheriff’s deputies were given administrative leave with pay for “inappropriate actions.”
According to Savannah Morning News, he was arrested for battery after his girlfriend called the police over a domestic incident.
On arrival, the police met the deceased standing with his girlfriend, and holding her tightly with a blanket over their heads.
It was gathered that the girlfriend subsequently removed the blanket only to reveal her face which appeared to be bruised and a bleeding nose.
The police alleged that when an officer tried to pull the duo apart, Ajibade “started to resist apprehension in a violent manner, and was taken to the ground, so that he could be handcuffed.”
Ajibade’s girlfriend reportedly told the police that his health condition was not stable as she handed them a bottle labeled Divalproex, that contained pills which he usually used to treat his bipolar disorder.
Authorities say he was placed in an isolation cell because “he became combative with deputies while being booked and his behavior was deemed dangerous.”
The family of the deceased is demanding answers on why he was taken to a jail instead of a hospital bearing in mind his health condition.
Ajibade who studied film at the Savannah College of Art and Design before deciding on computer science and switching to Savannah Technical College, was born in Lagos, Nigeria.
His brother, Chris Oladapo, who received the news of his death with shock said, “Matthew was going places, and they were good places. “And we need to know why he’s never going to get there.”
Meanwhile, investigations into the matter are currently ongoing.
