The First Minister reiterated to Bayoh’s sister Kadi Johnson his Government’s commitment to establishing the relevant facts surrounding her brother’s death.
The family of Sheku Bayoh met with John Swinney today to demand a stalled public inquiry into the circumstances of the dad’s death in 2015 is restarted.
The First Minister told relatives it was an “immediate priority” to appoint a new chair to enable the inquiry to complete its work.
Swinney reiterated to Bayoh’s sister Kadi Johnson his Government’s commitment to establishing the relevant facts surrounding her brother’s death.
The review was thrown into chaos after judge Lord Bracadale stood down as chairman last month after the Scottish Police Federation (SPF) repeatedly questioned his impartiality over meetings with Bayoh’s family.
Senior counsel to the Inquiry Angela Graham KC, Laura Thomson KC and Jason Beer KC resigned two days after the judge, as did junior counsel Rachel Barrett and Sarah Loosemore.
Bayoh passed away 10 years ago after being restrained by police officers in Kirkcaldy following calls stating he had been behaving erratically and was carrying a knife.
The father was restrained on the ground by six officers following a violent confrontation after it was found he was not carrying a knife. He lost consciousness and later died in hospital.
Swinney met with Johnson, her husband and the family’s lawyer Aamer Anwar.
The SNP leader said: “I was pleased to meet the family of Mr Bayoh following their invitation to do so and welcomed the opportunity to hear from them directly.
“During the meeting I reiterated the Scottish Government’s commitment to establishing the relevant facts surrounding Mr Bayoh’s death.
READ MORE: John Swinney ‘open’ to grooming gangs inquiry after heartbreaking letter by victimREAD MORE: Anas Sarwar blasts “deeply unhelpful” and “unacceptable” Downing Street briefing war
“The independence of public inquiries is vitally important and it would not be appropriate for me to discuss any matters it is considering. I did however assure the family that our immediate priority is to appoint a new Chair to enable the inquiry to complete its work.
“The work to appoint a new Chair is being led by the Deputy First Minister and taking place at pace.”
Speaking after the meeting on behalf of the family, Anwar insisted the inquiry resume and rejected calls from the SPF to hold a Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) instead.
Asked if the family had confidence the inquiry can resume, Anwar said: “It’s for the Lord President to find a chair to take over this inquiry. So it’s a matter that’s out of the First Minister’s hands.
“But as the family said today, 122 days of evidence has been taken. We don’t need to reinvent the wheel.”
Anwar continued: “It was explained to the First Minister than in 2019, the then Lord Advocate, James Wolffe, as head of the system for the investigation of deaths in Scotland, considered the remit of a Fatal Accident Inquiry would not not allow all the serious issues to be investigated and addressed – and he backed a public inquiry.
“FAIs can examine circumstances leading up to a death but not what followed – in particular, the post-incident management by Police Scotland, the Crown Office and also the actions of the Scottish Police Federation.
“While some might think the investigation should have started and ended with the restraint of Sheku Bayoh and his death, it does not. It must also investigate the institutional racism accepted by two chief constables.
“The dinosaurs of the Federation might live in a parallel universe, deny institutional racism, brandish a knife at a press conference, and then go on to demand an FAI.
“The wrecking ball the Federation took to the inquiry in its final days would not have been successful if the Solicitor General and Chief Constable had not cynically hung on to their coat tails.
“The Bayohs don’t expect the Federation to shut up. But Police Scotland and the Solicitor General must now end the sabotage, publicly back the inquiry and protect 122 days of evidence taken under oath, and allow the public inquiry to conclude under a new chair.”
To sign up to the Daily Record Politics newsletter, click here
