Humiliating Climbdown for Police Scotland in Sheku Bayoh Inquiry Challenge

Bayoh died in police custody in 2015 after being restrained by officers in Kirkcaldy. Despite years of campaigning, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) decided in 2019 that no officers would face prosecution. His family has since been pushing for the ongoing public inquiry to be expanded to investigate why no charges were brought.

On Sunday, it emerged that Police Scotland’s Chief Constable, Jo Farrell, had applied for a judicial review, claiming concerns over how the Scottish Government was handling the consultation on extending the inquiry’s terms. The force argued that a lack of “relevant material” made it “impossible” to properly engage in the process.

However, just 24 hours later, Police Scotland abandoned the challenge, saying that after receiving “further information” from Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes, the issue had been “resolved.”

Sheku Bayoh’s family, represented by human rights lawyer Aamer Anwar, condemned the legal challenge as a “desperate last throw of the dice” to block the truth from coming out. His sister, Kadi Johnson, called it a betrayal, while the family’s statement described it as a cynical attempt to delay justice. They urged Forbes to ignore “bullying tactics” from Police Scotland and proceed with expanding the inquiry’s scope.

This legal U-turn raises serious questions about its true commitment to transparency. The force had already pledged full cooperation with the inquiry, yet this costly and unnecessary legal action suggests otherwise. Given that £22.5 million has already been spent on the case, the public deserves to know how much more has been wasted on this failed legal stunt.

Sheku Bayoh’s family has been forced to fight every step of the way for justice. But their determination—along with the tireless advocacy of their lawyer—has once again pushed back against attempts to shut down scrutiny. 

This isn’t just their fight; it’s a fight for all of us. When the police attempt to evade accountability in such a serious case, it sets a dangerous precedent for human rights and the rule of law. Civil society, anti-racism campaigners, and human rights advocates have long warned against unchecked police power, and this case proves exactly why independent oversight is essential.

The repeated attempts to resist scrutiny show how deeply entrenched institutional barriers to justice remain. But Sheku Bayoh’s family’s persistence is proof that when people refuse to back down, even the most powerful institutions can be held to account. 

Police Scotland's latest climbdown should serve as a reminder: the fight for truth and justice is not just a personal struggle—it is a collective one. And it is far from over.

Robina Qureshi