00:00Former police officer Raphael Sampson Joseph is dead. Joseph, who had been detained at the Eastern Correctional Rehabilitation Center since
00:09December 2025, was reportedly found unresponsive in his cell on Wednesday morning.
00:15The circumstances surrounding his death are now the subject of scrutiny, particularly given court documents filed just days ago detailing
00:23what his attirees described as a severe mental health crisis.
00:28Joseph was arrested on December 29, 2025, pursuant to a provisional warrant issued at the request of authorities in the
00:38United States, where he was facing extradition proceedings related to alleged drug trafficking offenses.
00:45Following his arrest, he was remanded into custody at the Eastern Correctional Rehabilitation Center pending the outcome of those proceedings.
00:53His legal team at Quantum Legal, led by C.J. Williams, subsequently mounted several legal challenges, including habeas corpus proceedings,
01:03freedom of information requests, and judicial review applications involving the commission of police, the attorney general, and the director of
01:11public prosecutions.
01:12Attorney Williams said the DEA offered a deal in which Joseph was supposed to exchange information on a corrupt member
01:19of parliament and police officers he was investigating during his posting at the Southwestern Division.
01:26Williams said the deal was declined.
01:28Joseph also sought bail, arguing that there had been significant developments since his detention and raising concerns about the prosecution's
01:37case.
01:37Attorneys argued there were questions surrounding the evidence, the nature of the alleged conspiracy, and the procedures used during the
01:44investigation.
01:46Despite those submissions, bail was refused and Joseph remained incarcerated.
01:50According to an affidavit filed by Attorney Selena Mohammed, relatives contacted the law firm on June 11, expressing alarm over
01:58Joseph's mental condition.
02:00Mohammed immediately visited the Eastern Correctional Rehabilitation Center.
02:04There, prison officers reportedly told her Joseph had spent the previous week shouting and screaming, refusing to comply with instructions,
02:12refusing to wear clothing, and refusing to eat.
02:15Officers indicated he had become difficult to restrain and escort for legal visits.
02:21When Mohammed approached the cell, she said she could hear Joseph shouting.
02:25She said he was unable to provide meaningful responses to questions and only nodded when asked whether he wanted to
02:31see his wife and mother.
02:32The attorney said prison officers informed her that Joseph had been taken to hospital earlier that week and prescribed antidepressant
02:40medication.
02:40However, she was told the medication had not been administered as yet.
02:45She was also informed that although he had been referred to a prison psychologist, he had not yet been seen
02:51by one.
02:52Based on her observations and information provided by prison officials, Mohammed concluded there had been a significant deterioration in his
02:59mental health
03:00and that he urgently required psychological and psychiatric assessment and treatment.
03:06Court documents revealed that on June 14, attorneys wrote directly to the court outlining his condition and requesting urgent intervention.
03:14They detailed the behavior observed at the prison, the reports from correctional officers, and their belief that immediate psychiatric evaluation
03:22was necessary.
03:23According to the filing, no response was received.
03:26The following day, June 15, an application for an expedited hearing was formally filed before the court.
03:32In response, court officials advised that Acting Magistrate Brian Debedin was out of the jurisdiction on leave.
03:40The filing says that another magistrate declined to hear the application and that the urgency on the matter would be
03:47brought to the attention of the Acting Chief Magistrate upon his return.
03:52Less than two days later, Joseph was dead.
03:55Arvishit Mwari Ruknarain, TV6 News.
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