PRESS RELEASE – 23 JUNE 2023 – SHEKU BAYOH DEATH IN POLICE CUSTODY, PUBLIC INQUIRY, LEGAL SUBMISSIONS FOCUSING ON EVENTS LEADING UP TO AND INCLUDING THE DEATH OF MR BAYOH AND THE CAUSE OF DEATH
PRESS RELEASE – 23 JUNE 2023
SHEKU BAYOH DEATH IN POLICE CUSTODY
PUBLIC INQUIRY
LEGAL SUBMISSIONS FOCUSING ON EVENTS LEADING UP TO AND INCLUDING THE DEATH OF MR BAYOH AND THE CAUSE OF DEATH
Tuesday 27th June at 10.00am
Capital House, Festival Square, Edinburgh, EH3 9SU
The Public Inquiry will re-commence on Tuesday 27th June 2023 over 8 years after Sheku Bayoh died in police custody.
The Inquiry over the course of one year has heard 59 days of evidence. In addition, hundreds of documents have been published on the website including extensive statements taken by the Inquiry team. On Tuesday Lord Bracadale, the Inquiry Chair will hear oral submissions from core participants on that evidence. The submissions will be focused on the events leading up to and including the death of Mr Bayoh and the cause of death.
The Bayoh family have described Sheku as Scotland’s George Floyd, the only difference being that despite eight years of struggle the Bayoh’s have never seen justice. This inquiry owes its existence to the struggle fought by Sheku’s loved ones, and no police officer or institution should be allowed to evade scrutiny.
The experience of the families of Sheku Bayoh is that they were lied to by officers after he died and were betrayed by the very institutions whose duty it was to carry out a robust and impartial investigation into the circumstances of Sheku’s death- they believe that evidence led in this Inquiry has vindicated their claims.
Sadly, Sheku is not by any means the first black man to die in police custody, but his families still hope his name does not fade from memory and that one day the name of Sheku Bayoh leaves us a legacy that his sons Isaac and Tyler can be proud of.
These hearings will be held from 27 to 29 June 2023. The Public Inquiry hearing commences at 10am and will be broadcast live on the Inquiry website and YouTube channel.
On Tuesday, the family will hold a short press conference at 9.30am outside the Inquiry Building, at Festival Square, Edinburgh as well as at the lunchbreak if their legal team’s submissions are completed.
