FAMILY WELCOME INQUIRY INTO SHEKU’S DEATH
Family welcome decision after four-year campaign
A PUBLIC inquiry will be held into the death of Sheku Bayoh, who died after being restrained by police officers.
The Scottish Government yesterday announced an “independent and robust” inquiry would examine the circumstances around the tragedy.
The move was welcomed by Sheku’s family, who have campaigned for answers for more than four years.
Sheku’s mother, Aminata Bayoh, earlier met First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf at the Scottish Parliament.
She watched from the public gallery of the debating chamber as Yousaf revealed the inquiry would include probing whether race played a part in Sheku’s death.
Sheku, 32, died in May 2015 after being restrained by up to nine cops near his Kirkcaldy home.
The gas engineer, who had taken the drugs MDMA and Flakka, was found to have suffered 23 injuries.
On Monday, his family members spoke of feeling “totally betrayed” after meeting Lord Advocate James Wolffe QC to be told criminal charges wouldn’t be pursued against police officers.
Aminata, 70, said yesterday: “It’s been really hard for us but we need justice for my son.”
Kadi Johnson, Sheku’s sister, said: “We want this inquiry to mean something and Sheku’s death not to have been in vain.
“His name has been tarnished in the past four years. This is about achieving justice for Sheku and for a fairer Scotland for all, irrespective of race and background.”
The Bayoh family’s solicitor, Aamer Anwar, said the “setting up of a public inquiry is a critical moment for Scottish justice, the rule of law and important step forward in the family’s campaign to establish accountability”. He added: “This is an important first step in holding power to account and establishing the truth.”
After her meeting with the family, Sturgeon said: “My message to his family today, as well as repeating my deep condolences for their loss and what they’ve suffered over these past few years, is that they have a right to the answers to the questions that they have.
“I hope that a full public inquiry can deliver those answers and also tell us if there are any lessons that require to be learned from what is undoubtedly a tragic case.”
Yousaf said: “It is imperative that the circumstances leading up to Mr Bayoh’s death and the events that followed, including whether race played a part, are examined in full and in public.”
The Justice Secretary said the Lord Advocate had identified questions about the early stages of the police’s post-incident management of the investigation which couldn’t be examined in a fatal accident inquiry.
A statement on the choice of chairman of the inquiry, along with its terms of reference, is expected early in the new year.
James Kelly MSP, Labour’s justice spokesman, said: “It is shocking in modern Scotland the circumstances in which Mr Bayoh has lost his life and it is unacceptable nobody has been held legally responsible.”
He “strongly supported” the public inquiry, but asked whether it would scrutinise “recent cases and review the protocol the Lord Advocate follows when reaching a decision for non-prosecution or granting immunity”.
In December, evidence uncovered by BBC Scotland raised questions about the way officers treated Sheku before he died in their custody.