SAPS reject misleading reports linked to Nigerian national's death.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) has dismissed claims circulating on social
media about the death of a Nigerian national while in police custody at the Sunnyside
policing precinct in Tshwane, describing the reports as misleading.
According to a SAPS statement issued on Tuesday, the man was arrested on 28 June
2026 by members of the SAPS Tshwane Drugs Unit after acting on intelligence that led
them to his apartment, where he was allegedly found in possession of drugs.
Police said the suspect was handcuffed during the arrest but collapsed while being
escorted into custody. Officers immediately requested medical assistance, and
paramedics who arrived at the scene declared him dead.
Because the incident occurred while the suspect was in police custody, the Independent
Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) was notified without delay.
SAPS said an inquest docket and a case of possession of drugs were opened, while the
drugs recovered at the scene were booked into the SAPS 13 store as evidence.
The police added that both a SAPS detective and an IPID investigator attended the
post-mortem examination, with investigators deciding that the matter would continue to
be investigated by SAPS pending the outcome of the post-mortem.
SAPS also rejected allegations linking the incident to recent anti-illegal immigration
protests, describing the claims as unfounded and intended to mislead the public.