Riddle as father of two dies in police custody
A YOUNG father has di e d in mysterious circumstances after being arrested by police. Sheku Bayoh, 31, was detained on Sunday morning during an incident in which a female officer was hospitalised.
Residents reported that a man was seen in the area, unsteady on his f eet and carrying a knife.
It is believed the father- oftwo from Sierra Leone may have suffered a heart attack while in custody.
But Police Scotland have remained sil ent over the incident, with all inquiries being referred to the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC).
The PIRC has launched an investigation into Mr Bayoh’s death and was yesterday conducting door- t o - door inquiries in Hayfield Road, Kirkcaldy, Fife, where he died.
Police officers were also seen carrying out a search in nearby bushes, with a large section of the street cordoned off for much of the day.
Mr Bayoh, known as Chris to his friends, had a second child, Isaac, i n January with his partner Collette Bell.
Last night she was being comforted by f amily and friends at her mother’s home in Glenrothes, Fife, and was too upset to comment.
However, hundreds of tributes have been posted online to Mr Bayoh, including one from his sister. Kosna Bayoh, who lives in London. She posted a picture of him on Facebook and said: ‘ Unbelievable. Gone too soon. Ooh Sheku, I can’t believe my only brother is gone.’
Mr Bayoh’s close f riend Jamie Hume said he was ‘heartbroken’, adding: ‘Lost a part of me today. Sleep well mate. I’m in bits, can’t get my head around it. He’ll be missed by a lot of people.’
It emerged that Mr Bayoh was also a close friend of Zahid Saeed, the father of Mikaeel
‘They had just had the baby’
Kular, who was killed by his mother last year.
A picture appeared online showing Mr Bayoh with Mr Saeed and others.
Mr Bayoh’s friends congregated last night on the street where he died, leaving several floral tributes.
One neighbour, who asked not to be named, described him as a ‘lovely young man’ who enjoyed going to the gym and socialising.
She said: ‘He would always stop and say hello when he was going out. It’s so sad, they had just had the baby, he’s only four months old.’
She added: ‘You would always see him with Collette or with his friends. He was a popular guy, he always seemed to have friends or people round. They j ust seemed l i ke a l ovely young couple.’
The PIRC said it was too early to comment on the incident. A spokesman said: ‘I am able to confirm the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) has directed the PIRC to carry out an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of 31-year-old Sheku Ahmed Tejan Bayoh in Kirkcaldy on Sunday May 3, who had been detained by police shortly before his death.
‘A report on the PIRC’s find- ings will be submitted to the COPFS in due course. As this is a live investigation it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.’
Fife divisional commander Ch Supt Garry McEwan said: ‘This is a tragic set of circumstances and my condolences go out to the man’s family.
‘The investigation of deaths in Scotland is the responsibility of Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, who have instructed the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner to lead on this inquiry.’