Sheku Bayoh family watch CCTV of his last moments

THE family of a man who died in police custody have watched CCTV and mobile phone footage of his last moments.

The family with solicitor, Aamer Anwar. Picture: Neil Hanna

Sheku Bayoh, 31, died in May following an incident during which a female police officer was injured.

The Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (Pirc) is now investigating.

Mr Bayoh’s family watched footage taken in the lead-up to his death and called for it to be released publicly.

Sheku Bayoh.

A statement released by the family’s solicitor, Aamer Anwar, said: “This morning at the Lord Advocate’s office a heartbroken Bayoh family watched the last moments of Sheku’s life taken on CCTV and mobile phone.

“Whilst they agreed to viewing the CCTV on the basis of confidentiality, the family would now urge the Lord Advocate to publicly release the CCTV.

“The Bayohs have always said that if Sheku broke the law, then the police had a right to act, but any force used had to be legitimate and proportionate.”

Relatives of the trainee gas engineer, including Mr Bayoh’s partner Collette Bell and his sister Kadijartu Johnson, have been demanding answers over police conduct and Mr Bayoh’s cause of death, and have previously held meetings with the Pirc and Lord Advocate.

Mr Anwar has always denied that Mr Bayoh was carrying a knife when officers attended the incident in Kirkcaldy’s Hayfield Road on May 3.

But it has been claimed a witness saw Mr Bayoh carrying a knife before police arrived. Officers later recovered a knife close to where Mr Bayoh was arrested.

The family took their case to the Scottish Parliament on Thursday, where Labour MSP Claire Baker had organised a cross-party meeting to allow relatives to talk to politicians.

A spokesman for the Pirc said: “The commissioner fully empathises with the deceased’s family and their desire for answers in relation to how Sheku Bayoh died, and has reiterated her commitment to get to the truth of the matter.

“Throughout this investigation, the commissioner has been in regular dialogue with the Lord Advocate in relation to the progression of the investigation.

“The family were offered the opportunity to participate in the process of identifying further expert pathologists, in addition to those already commissioned, to provide an opinion on how Sheku Bayoh died.

“They have now nominated three experts, whose details will be shared with the Lord Advocate for his consideration and instruction.

“The commissioner is keen that the family are able to openly and honestly communicate with her.”