Prior to this, Ekemezie had been chased during a routine check, handcuffed and pinned face-down, in a manner that proved fatal
Michael Kenechukwu Ekemezie, a 39-year-old Nigerian father of two, died in Swiss police custody on May 25 after officers pinned him face-down during a routine check in Lausanne, despite his pleas of “You’re hurting me” 12. Viral footage shows Ekemezie—handcuffed and restrained—crying out before collapsing at the police station less than an hour later. Swiss authorities claimed he fled a drug-related check and “became unwell” during questioning, but an autopsy and criminal investigation are now underway.
Ekemezie’s family, represented by human rights lawyer Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has petitioned Switzerland’s embassy and Nigeria’s government, demanding transparency and condemning the “deafening silence” from international media. “This mirrors George Floyd’s murder,” Ejiofor declared, noting the incident occurred exactly five years after Floyd’s killing 0. The Swiss Embassy confirmed on June 4 that a prosecutor is investigating but cited data privacy laws to withhold details, leaving the family frustrated. “Justice must not be shielded behind bureaucracy,” their statement insisted .