UK: Shiji Lapite: unlawful killing
01 January 1996
In January the inquest into the death of 34-year old Nigerian asylum seeker, Shiji Lapite, returned a verdict of unlawful killing. Mr Lapite died after being brutally beaten when arrested by officers from Stoke Newington police station, north London, in December 1994. Two police officers were suspended from duty following the incident, but the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) later decided that there was not enough evidence to prosecute them. The notorious Stoke Newington police station was the object of an internal police inquiry into drugs dealing, brutality and corruption between 1991-1994 (see Statewatch, vol 5 no 1).
The jury at the inquest heard that Mr Lapite was arrested after leaving a restaurant because police officers claimed that he was "acting suspiciously." Giving evidence to the inquest the arresting officers, PCs Paul Wright and Andrew McCallum, claimed to have seen Mr Lapite hiding drugs. When they attempted to arrest him they claimed that he violently attacked them. Describing Lapite as "the most violent man I have ever come across", they graphically portrayed a frenzied assault in which Lapite attempted to strangle PC Wright and was only deterred by being savagely kicked in the head by McCallum.
Their evidence was disputed by a Home Office pathology report which pointed to the lack of any marks around Wright's neck. The officers were also unable to offer an explanation as to why Mr Lapite had suffered between 36 and 45 separate injuries to his body while they bore only a few "superficial" bruises. Pathologists testimony showed that Lapite eventually died after being held in a neck-lock that fractured his voice box leading to asphyxiation. The arresting officers told the court that they thought the asylum-seeker was pretending to be unconscious when he arrived at the police station; later he was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
In December 1993, following an inquiry into the police killing of another black man, Oliver Pryce, from a neck hold, guidelines were issued instructing officers to only use the strangleholds as a last resort. It is beyond doubt that these guidelines are deliberately and systematically ignored.
Following the inquest Mr Lapite's widow, Olamide, called for the two officers involved to be prosecuted. Her call was endorsed by Mr Lapite's solicitor and the Inquest group, which supported the Lapite family throughout the hearing. Amnesty International have also urged that any officers found responsible for criminal actions should be brought to justice; they also urged the government to "instigate a full, prompt, impartial and independent investigation" into the death. The CPS have said that they will "consider any comments made by the coroner's court and any further evidence or representations received." The Shiji Lapite Memorial Committee can be contacted c/o PO Box 273, London E7.
Amnesty International, press release EUR 45/04/95 13.7.95; Guardian, 26.1.96; Independent, 26.1.96.