Five more resignations from Sheku Bayoh inquiry after chairman quit over family meetings

Five more people have resigned from the Sheku Bayoh inquiry team, days after the chair person quit his post.

Mr Bayoh, 31, a father-of-two, died after he was restrained by around six police officers in Kirkcaldy, Fife, on May 3, 2015.

The Crown Office decided not to take legal action against officers involved following an investigation, but the circumstances are being examined at the inquiry.

Lord Bracadale, the inquiry’s former chair person, had previously been criticised by the Scottish Police Federation after he met privately with the family of Mr Bayoh on at least five occasions.

He stepped down on Tuesday after admitting that his meetings with the family “gave rise to an appearance of bias”.

Edinburgh & East

Sheku Bayoh Inquiry chairman refuses to stand down after accusations of bias

Sheku Bayoh, 31, a father-of-two, died after he was restrained by around six police officers.

On Friday, it was revealed five more people have resigned from the inquiry who were all appointed by Lord Bracadale.

Senior counsel to the Inquiry Angela Grahame KC, Laura Thomson KC and Jason Beer KC left, alongside junior counsel Rachel Barrett and Sarah Loosemore.

The appointment of a new chair for the inquiry now rests with Scottish ministers, while the appointment of counsel will be for the chair once they are appointed.

David Kennedy, general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation, said the resignation of the legal team was “appropriate in the circumstances”.

He said: “It was always essential that the inquiry be conducted with fairness, balance, and transparency for all parties involved.

“Unfortunately, several decisions taken by the inquiry’s leadership has created an impression of bias that has undermined confidence in the process.

“The decision of the legal team to withdraw would therefore seem appropriate in the circumstances.”

Criticism over chair’s meetings with family

In a letter to deputy first minister Kate Forbes, Lord Bracadale said he believed the family “would have walked out of the inquiry” if the meetings didn’t take place as they “had already lost confidence”.

On Wednesday, Mr Bayoh family’s lawyer, Aamer Anwar, slammed Lord Bracadale’s resignation, saying the former judge “had done nothing wrong”.

Mr Anwar stated that the “secret meetings” were referred to during the hearings and had also been widely publicised.

Mr Bayoh’s family described the situation as a “total betrayal”. They claimed Chief Constable Jo Farrell, the Solicitor General and the Scottish Police Federation, had betrayed promises made to them regarding the inquiry.

On behalf of Mr Bayoh’s loved ones, Mr Anwar called for Solicitor General for Scotland, Ruth Charteris KC, to resign as her position is “untenable” because she “acted to protect an archaic institution the Crown Office from scrutiny”.

Charteris is accused of criticising Lord Bracadale for meeting Mr Bayoh’s family despite having private meetings of her own with the family and the former Chair.

Lord Bracadale led the Sheku Bayoh Inquiry since he was appointed in January 2020 and heard 122 days of evidence.

His decision to step down will lead to a further delay in concluding the inquiry.

Mr Bayoh’s sister Kadi Johnson has described the latest setback in the inquiry as “another wound to our family” and believes this is “another leg of a long exhausting road”.

In a statement made during a Glasgow press conference she thank Lord Bracadale for the “time, effort and seriousness” he displayed during the inquiry.

Following his decision to step down, the family say they felt both angry and frustrated. The resignation has also “shaken” Kadi’s confidence in the investigation.

Edinburgh & East

Sheku Bayoh’s family calls for government lawyer to resign after ‘total betrayal’

Mr Bayoh, 31, a father-of-two, died after he was restrained by around six police officers in Kirkcaldy.

Solicitor General Ms Charteris said she “fully appreciates that a further delay in concluding the inquiry will be a source of disappointment and frustration to the family”.

“And I acknowledge that it will also incur further cost to the public purse,” Ms Charteris added.

“My position has been that certain procedural approaches, while undertaken with good intentions, may satisfy the test for apparent bias. In my role, I am duty-bound to act in the public interest, and I could not remain silent.”

Deputy Chief Constable Alan Speirs said: “We recognise the devastating impact on everyone affected by Sheku Bayoh’s death and I would publicly reiterate our commitment to engage with the inquiry with absolute candour in order to provide answers for Sheku’s family and friends.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson added: “Ministers would like to thank Lord Bracadale for his work on this important public inquiry.

“The Scottish Government is committed to establishing the facts surrounding the circumstances leading to Mr Bayoh’s death. We will now urgently consider the best way forward.”