Delays in Sheku Bayoh case would be ‘deeply unfair’, Lord Advocate told
Scotland’ s most senior law officer has been urged to speed up the process of potential police misconduct proceedings against officers involved in the death of Sheku Bayoh as further delays would be “deeply unfair” on the grieving family.
Scottish Green MSP Mark Ruskell has written to Lord Advocate James Wolffe demanding he clear up“confusion” surrounding the process after it was decided no criminal proceedings would be brought against the officers who had detained and restrained Mr Bayoh, who later died in custody.
Mr Ruskell yesterday asked justice secretary Humza Yo us a fin Holy rood for an update on the case as the delay was “undermining the Crown Office” and causing Mr Bayoh’s family “significant distress”.
Mr Yousaf told him to write to the Lord Advocate instead.
Mr Bay oh died after being restrained by police in May 2015 while officers were responding to a call in Kirkcaldy, Fife. A public inquiry into Mr Bayoh’s death has been announced, but Mr Ruskell raised concerns in Holyrood yesterday about delays to potential misconduct proceedings against the officers involved.
In his letter to the Lord Advocate, Mr Ruskell said: “There is clearly some confusion about the progress of any potential misconduct proceedings that were promised to the family of My Bayoh by you in the event of no criminal proceedings being brought for ward against the officers involved in the detention and restraint of Mr Bayoh.
“From what I understand it would appear that the Crown Office has not passed a file onto Police Scotland and to await a further three to four years for proceedings to be considered would be intolerable for all involved. The delay in passing files onto Police Scotland has been so long two of the officers involved have retired. This delay undermines the integrity of the Crown Office and has caused the family of Mr Bayoh significant distress.”
Mr Yousaf said his job “was to instruct the setting up of a public inquiry that will examine the facts of the tragic death of Sheku Bayoh”.