In a speech during the rally in support of bereaved families whose relatives have died in custody, the mother of Chris Kaba asked police: “What (were his) last words? Did he ask for me?”
Hundreds marched on Downing Street today in support of bereaved families whose relatives have died in police custody.
The rally in central London is calling for changes to the justice system, with families demanding an urgent meeting with the new Prime Minister, Home Secretary and Mayor of London.
Alfred Omishore paid tribute to his 41-year-old son Oladeji Omishore, who died after jumping from a bridge having been Tasered.
“My son was caring, compassionate and artistically talented with a deep appreciation for nature,” he said.
Mr Omishore said on the fateful day his son died he had been vulnerable and suffering a mental health crisis.
He said the family was “appalled” at false narratives being peddled over the death, including that his son had been armed with a screwdriver.
And in an emotional speech outside Downing Street, the mother of Chris Kaba asked police: “What (were his) last words? Did he ask for me?”
Helen Nkama said: “I miss him a lot. Every day, all my life I have to have this pain – when I wake up in the morning, in the night, I can’t see Chris, I can’t touch him, I can’t listen to him.
“Chris was alone in the car but I know that Chris was with God, because God knows everything.
“He knew that Chris was not going to come back home and Chris was alone with police. I want them to ask me, to tell me, how was Chris the last day?
“How did Chris feel? What was the last words of Chris? Did he ask for me?
“Did he call for me? What did Chris say? This death, this painful death, Chris didn’t deserve this death, he deserved life, but they took Chris away from me … I want the answer, I want them to tell me the truth.”
She added: “I wish this painful death must be the last – it must be the last.”
The cousin of Chris Kaba also said “there was no pursuit, no lights, no sirens” before he was shot dead by police.
Jefferson Bosela said that after viewing footage of the incident in which Mr Kaba died, the family had stepped back from campaigning because of how traumatic the experience had been.
He said: “Viewing the footage and the body in one week – as you can imagine for anyone, that is traumatic, so we didn’t want the added pressure of the media trying to find out what was in the footage.”
Speaking at the march, Mr Bosela paid tribute to his “larger-than-life” cousin who “loved life”.
He said: “Chris was just a larger-than-life type. You have to look on my Instagram at the videos of him dancing.
“He really loved life, and that was one of his mottos … that you just have to love life.”
Mr Bosela added he believed Rishi Sunak would do “nothing” in response to a letter signed by the families of five people who have died in custody demanding an urgent meeting with him.
And in Scotland, the families of two men who died in police custody delivered a letter to the First Minister’s residence in Edinburgh, as they requested a meeting with her and the Justice Secretary.
Allan Marshall and Sheku Bayoh both died in custody in 2015.
Mr Marshall, 30, was being held on remand at HMP Edinburgh in March 2015 when he suffered a cardiac arrest during a lengthy struggle with staff.
Later that year, in May, 31-year-old Mr Bayoh died after he was restrained by nine police officers in Kirkcaldy.
A fatal accident inquiry (FAI) found that Mr Marshall’s death was “entirely preventable”, while Mr Bayoh’s is currently subject to a public inquiry.
The two families came together on Saturday to hold a remembrance vigil outside the First Minister’s Bute House residence, where Mr Marshall’s family announced that they have requested a review of his case by the Lord Advocate.
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