SHEKU BAYOH.
Who was Sheku Bayoh?
Mr Bayoh was a father of two, from Kirkcaldy, Scotland. He migrated from Sierra Leone when he was 17 years old to live with his sister in the UK.
What happened?
On the day he died, Sheku had been at a friend's house in the morning watching a boxing match. He had taken the drug, MDMA and another drug known as Flakka.
The drugs dramatically altered his behaviour, and according to police reports, led to him becoming aggressive with a friend. The specific events that led to Sheku Bayoh’s death are still unknown. Police statements suggest that he may have attacked police officers which led to his apprehension using police batons, CS gas, as well as leg and arm restraints. It has been confirmed that at some point Sheku Bayoh lost consciousness and later died in hospital. The postmortem concluded that he had sustained facial injuries, a fractured rib and bruises. He was pronounced dead an hour and a half after the initial restraint.
What was the legal implication?
Within hours of Sheku Bayoh’s death, inaccurate allegations began circulating in the media that one of the police officers might have been stabbed. It’s been over four years since Sheku died in police custody. The inquiry will examine the hours leading up to and immediately following the incident, the actions of the officers involved and the force’s handling of the incident. It will also investigate whether racism was a contributing factor to the police’s response.
Further information.
If you want to find out more about other victims of police and state violence in the UK, click here.
The proportion of BAME deaths in custody where restraint is a feature is over two times greater than it is in other deaths in custody. The proportion of BAME deaths in custody where use of force is a feature is over two times greater than it is in other deaths in custody. The proportion of BAME deaths in custody where mental health-related issues are a feature is nearly two times greater than it is in other deaths in custody.