Six Swiss police officers have been charged in relation to the 2018 death of a Nigerian man who had a fatal heart attack while being restrained during an arrest.
The white officers were charged with “homicide through negligence” in connection with the 2018 death of Mike Ben Peter, a 39-year-old Nigerian, in Lausanne, according to the Independent UK.
All of the defendants have entered not guilty pleas and claimed that other circumstances led to his demise.
Following Ben Peter’s passing, protestors staged demonstrations and accused the Swiss police of having an institutional racism, which the force refuted.
The indictment alleges that after Peter failed to comply with police orders, the officers forced him to the ground so they could handcuff him using pepper spray, knee kicks to the ribs, and groping. Peter was first observed by the authorities when he collected a bag that was later found to contain marijuana during a narcotics patrol.
He allegedly struggled for three minutes while being held face-down by several officers before they noticed he was unconscious.
According to the accusation, Peter suffered a heart attack and was later declared dead; among the causes were being held on his stomach and stress.
If found guilty, the policemen could each receive a sentence of three years in prison.
The identities of the accused cannot be disclosed at this point in the proceedings due to Swiss privacy rules.
