unfortunately i don't think that he will be the last

I agree with Mike Pain. Its like the governemnt have made a business enterprsie out of this so called Blac on Black Crime.

Think about it, how many jobs, and organisations have been created out of this?

Police unlikely to be charged over death of Frank Ogboru


Fri 11 January 2008





The Independent Police Complaints Commission has concluded its investigation into the custody death of Frank Ogboru.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has been handed a report from the Independent Police Complaints Commission following its investigation into the death of Nigerian businessman, Frank Ogboru. Depending on the strength of the IPCC inquiry it is technically possible that police officers could face charges for his death.

Frank Ogboru, 43 lost his life after four officers from the Metropolitan Police force forcibly restrained him by kneeling on his chest, knees and feet. The incident was witnessed by several people one said said; "The officers were on top of him, you could tell he was in a lot of pain. The guy kept saying 'I can't breathe'." Another witness said he saw one officer standing with his foot on the victim’s neck as another officer attempted to handcuff him.

An anonymous witness, who saw the incident from her window said; "First there were two officers, then four, then more. It was like they were squashing him. They were pinning him down and handcuffing him. I saw officers with their knees on him and their feet on him. He was just wailing - the kind of sound a dog would make if it was kicked. I thought there were too many of them on him."

The officers chose to ignore his struggle for life and are also accused of using excessive force while failing to call or administer adequate medical assistance when it was clear he needed resuscitation.

It is unusual for the IPCC to handle investigations against the police themselves. In this instance it was the Met’s own investigating body – the directorate of professional standards that referred the case to them. It is now up to the CPS to decide whether to prosecute the police officers for criminal offences. Newspaper reports suggest that there is mobile phone footage and CCTV evidence that could provide crucial evidence if the case goes to court.

Speaking on the issue Franks widow said; “Someone must be made to take responsibility for his death. I must have justice”.

British police have a history of unaccountability

The British police have a history of escaping justice for causing deaths of African prisoners whilst in their custody.

The Gambian born, Kebba Jobe, 42 died after plain-clothes officer PC Clinton Jackson refused to stop restraining him during a struggle in Camden Town on 15 May 2004. Jackson told an inquest that he had noticed Kebba to be choking, but failed to move him from the face-down position because he was waiting for back-up to arrive. In 1996 Kebba’s cousin Ibrahima Sey died after being arrested and sprayed with CS gas.

On 11 January 1999, Roger Sylvester, 30, died after being detained naked under the Mental Health Act by eight police officers outside his home. Despite evidence of Police negligence and abuse the Crown Prosecution Service refused to bring charges against any of the eight officers involved. Amnesty International criticised the decision and said; "These are strong prima facie evidence cases. It is deeply disturbing that the CPS decided that they should not be subjected to the public scrutiny of a criminal trial,"

However the family with campaign group Inquest and the steadfast assistance of the African British MP David Lammy successfully campaigned for a public inquiry. In 2003 an inquest jury found the officers guilty and concluded Roger had been restrained for too long, in the wrong position, and was not given sufficient medical attention. The verdict was greeted with cheers from friends and supporters of the family who had packed the court. The following day the eight officers were suspended on full pay as the CPS conducted a review of the case.

The following year in a perversion of justice a High Court judge formally quashed the verdict that Roger was unlawfully killed by the police. The eight officers who had challenged the ruling praised the new decision of an open verdict. The judge made it clear that he would not order another inquest, stating no jury in any criminal case is likely to convict a British police officer of manslaughter. As a result Roger’s family said they would now "opt out" of the legal process.

"I can't stop crying. I am crying inside. The pain of losing Roger is unbearable. I am worse when I think how painful it must have been for him on the coldest night of the year. Roger did not deserve to die that way. I imagine how much he suffered, not having anyone to call on… The eight policemen that restrained Roger have given us a life sentence."
Mrs Sylvester at the National Civil Rights March launch, March 1999

Ligali | Crime and Justice | Police unlikely to be charged over death of Frank Ogboru

It's so many damn stories about this all of the time. Is it ever going to end?