A middle-aged man on Monday drowned in a swamp while trying to evade police arrest at Rumuigbo area of Port Harcourt.

He has been identified as an artisan working on a building construction site.

He was evading arrest by a police officer invited by a resident who was not happy with the contractor handling the building project.

A witness said the resident was aggrieved that the contractor had used sand to block the entrance to his apartment, prompting the invitation of the police to arrest the site workers.

The late worker took to his heels at the arrival of the police and headed in a water-logged swamp.

“It was a terrible experience. I saw the policeman chasing the young man who had ran into the swampy water ostensibly to evade arrest. The policeman broke into my compound while pursuing the deceased.

“The victim ran into the swampy water while the policeman chased him with a gun. I saw the policeman and I heard him telling the deceased to come out or he would be shot. The victim out of fear advanced deeper into the swampy water and got stuck. He was shouting and calling on people to rescue him until he drowned,” the witness said.

He blamed the police officer for the death of the victim saying that deceased drowned because he was afraid that he might be shot by the policeman.

He called on Rivers State Police Command to fish out the police officer that was involved in the incident and made him to face the full wrath of law.

When contacted Rivers State Police Command Public Relation Officer, Nnamdi Omoni said he is yet to be briefed about the incident.

Courtesy(excluding headline) Daily Trust