Police officers face court again over death of Nigerian
The original court ruling sparked protests
Keystone / Valentin Flauraud
Six Lausanne police officers are back in court. They are accused of causing the death of an arrested Nigerian. The defendants were acquitted at their first hearing last year.
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The appeals court will meet in the Longemalle cantonal courtroom in Renens. Once again, the eagerly awaited appeal hearing will be followed by numerous parties, the media and the public.
Mike Ben Peter, a 39-year-old Nigerian, died in February 2018 after a drug test in Lausanne. In June 2023, after a sensational four-day trial, the Lausanne Criminal Court ruled that the six officers who conducted the test could not be convicted of negligent homicide following a decision by the public prosecutor.
“Multifactorial” causes
The judges referred in particular to the forensic expertise, which could not determine with certainty whether Mike Ben Peter died as a result of the police’s intervention or the manner in which he was restrained.
The Court of First Instance therefore concluded that the cardiac arrest had occurred regardless of the victim’s position, adding that the causes of death were “multifactorial” and that there were no “causal links” between the police operation and the Nigerian’s death.
The court also concluded that the police officers had not breached their duty of care. On this point, it differed from the prosecution’s view that the police officers had left the victim lying on her stomach for too long.
According to the victim’s family’s lawyer, however, the police used disproportionate force. He has already mentioned several times that he would take the case to the European Court of Human Rights if necessary.
“I will not give up”
This first acquittal provoked strong reactions. “Shame,” “It’s too easy,” shouted people in the Renens courtroom, while outside the courtroom, where around 100 people had gathered, boos and anti-police slogans were chanted.
Mike Ben Peter’s widow and his brother were applauded as they left the courtroom. “This is not fair at all. I want justice for my husband. I am a lioness and I will not give up,” she said. Several sympathizers then stormed the courtroom to vent their anger – a scene rarely seen in Switzerland.
The commander of the Lausanne city police, Olivier Botteron, who was present in the audience, decided to turn around after leaving the court. Judges, lawyers, police officers who had been warned and some accompanying persons also left the building through the back door. The slogans lasted for at least 45 minutes before calm returned. The demonstration ended with a silent “sit-in”.
The appeal process will last until July 3. The verdict will be announced a week later, on the afternoon of July 8.
Translated from French by DeepL/mga
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