The death of Kebba Jobe - inquest clear police
nomoredeaths | 21.01.2005 14:54
Kebba Jobe, a 42 year old Camden man, was killed May as police tried to restrain & arrest him for suspect drug dealing. The inquest that finished wednesady 19th jan cleared the police of any wronging doing in the cause of his death.
"A coroner yesterday (wednesday) cleared the police of any wrong doing following the death of a Gambian man who died while being arrested for suspected drug dealing. Dr Andrew Reid told St Pancras Coroners court the death of Kebba Jobe, who died last may on a canal tow path in Camden Town, was not the fault of officers involved in a drug arrest that went wrong.
His statement said the victim had placed a lump of cannabis into his mouth to conceal it - and then inhaled the drug, which caused his death. The coroner added there was no evidence of neglect by officers who were attempting to arrest Mr Jobe ad had no criticsim of the police involved".
"Back up officers had previously told the court that PC Jackson had not told them of the possibility thatr Mr Jobe had swallowed the package... But Sargeant Mathew Walters... told the court PC Jackson later told him that the dead man might have consumed the drugs.
PC Jackson said Sargeant Walters may have been incorrect. "He might have heard me wrong" said PC Jackson "It could have been recorded wrong. He was incorrect. I didn't see him (Mr Jobe) place drugs in his mouth""
-from Camden New Journal newspaper, 20 January 2005.
Another report from the Camden New Journal website:
"Under questioning... PC Jackson confirmed details of his witness statement. He said “His (Mr Jobe’s) mouth was full. I could see his cheeks moving and lips moving. I then saw him put his hand across his mouth. He then looked like he was gagging on something... I think I said words to the effect: Have you eaten it? Have you swallowed it? He (Mr Jobe) was saying something but I couldn’t understand what he was saying. I said have you eaten it? Where is it? You’ll choke".
Brian Theophile [an eye witness] told the inquest: “There was an officer sitting on Kebba’s back. He (Kebba) looked like he couldn’t breathe. As soon as I saw Kebba’s face I knew it wasn’t normal. His mouth was bleeding"
http://www.camdennewjournal.co.uk/011305/n011305_08.htm (this link is the report of the inquest dated fri 14th. An update report should be apearing on the 21st jan).
Another link about the inquest
http://www.blink.org.uk/pdescription.asp?key=5570&grp=55&cat=163
So there you have it. Another death at the hands of the police gone unaccountable. Another copper lying under oath, getting away with murder.
His statement said the victim had placed a lump of cannabis into his mouth to conceal it - and then inhaled the drug, which caused his death. The coroner added there was no evidence of neglect by officers who were attempting to arrest Mr Jobe ad had no criticsim of the police involved".
"Back up officers had previously told the court that PC Jackson had not told them of the possibility thatr Mr Jobe had swallowed the package... But Sargeant Mathew Walters... told the court PC Jackson later told him that the dead man might have consumed the drugs.
PC Jackson said Sargeant Walters may have been incorrect. "He might have heard me wrong" said PC Jackson "It could have been recorded wrong. He was incorrect. I didn't see him (Mr Jobe) place drugs in his mouth""
-from Camden New Journal newspaper, 20 January 2005.
Another report from the Camden New Journal website:
"Under questioning... PC Jackson confirmed details of his witness statement. He said “His (Mr Jobe’s) mouth was full. I could see his cheeks moving and lips moving. I then saw him put his hand across his mouth. He then looked like he was gagging on something... I think I said words to the effect: Have you eaten it? Have you swallowed it? He (Mr Jobe) was saying something but I couldn’t understand what he was saying. I said have you eaten it? Where is it? You’ll choke".
Brian Theophile [an eye witness] told the inquest: “There was an officer sitting on Kebba’s back. He (Kebba) looked like he couldn’t breathe. As soon as I saw Kebba’s face I knew it wasn’t normal. His mouth was bleeding"
http://www.camdennewjournal.co.uk/011305/n011305_08.htm (this link is the report of the inquest dated fri 14th. An update report should be apearing on the 21st jan). Another link about the inquest
http://www.blink.org.uk/pdescription.asp?key=5570&grp=55&cat=163 So there you have it. Another death at the hands of the police gone unaccountable. Another copper lying under oath, getting away with murder.
nomoredeaths
Comments
Hide the following 6 comments
Black Deaths in Custody
21.01.2005 17:30
We list below
those deaths of black and minority ethnic individuals which have taken place in prison, police or hospital custody and which have given rise to concern because of unexplained or mysterious circumstances surrounding those deaths and / or allegations of maltreatment, dereliction of duty or brutality."
IRR News
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and ?
21.01.2005 17:31
"Drug dealer dies, the police might be responsible but in all likelehood it was the result of him eating his own stuff"
Good ridance either way
Who cares
Ignorance
21.01.2005 19:43
And who are you to make such a sweeping judgement? Based on little evidence and none that is 1st hand.
I think you may be a white male.
For this reason perhaps your attitude is understandable.
Being based on nothing.
madcam
Who cares
21.01.2005 20:51
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kebba jobe
22.01.2005 19:54
I feel that the Police service needs to be more transparent in the way it investigates incidents such as deaths in custody. I still have some faith in the judicial system and in the police service, but I do understand that the police service has a long way to go in proving itself to our minority communities.
I feel a good start would be to have investigations into 'Death in Custody' incidents carried out by an independent panel of professionals taken from different investigative backgrounds for instance Lawyers, fire & crash investigators etc... we have enough skilled personel working in many different organisations throughout this country who could utilise their knowledge and experience in cases such as these. Many other agencies/companies employ industry outsiders to provide an independent response to accidents/incidents. why can't this be done by the police service. People will remain sceptical until a level of impartiality is brought to bear on proceedings such as these.
The government must also consider the possibility that not enough is being done to educate Police officers in racial diversity. It is not enough to just say 'we are trying to recruit more minority officers', policing must be with the consent and support of the communities they serve.
This tragic case highlights many deficiencies in the tactics deployed by police officers, here we are eight years on from the death of Kebba's cousin Ibrahima and Kebba dies in almost the same circumstances. How can the family and friends of Kebba and Ibrahima be assured that this tradgedy will not be repeated again. I for one am not convinced that the public are in safe hands when coming into contact with the police.
Police training must be improved all round and both serving officers and applicants to the police service must be better vetted to ensure that they are doing the job for the right reasons and not to excersise hatred or hostility against any member of the public regardless of their background.
We should support the police in their efforts to combat crime and deal with criminals, but in return we have the right to expect the police to treat all of us with dignity and respect and to protect us and not harm us."
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totally agree.
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the truth
25.01.2005 11:32
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