The partner of Sheku Bayoh broke down in tears as she told the inquiry into his death about her “anger” over the “straight up lies” she was told by police.
Collette Bell was taken to Kirkcaldy police station after reporting Mr Bayoh missing from their home following a fight with best friend Zahid Saeed.
She told how officers “lied” to her about Mr Bayoh being found in the street and said the area’s most senior officer shrugged as she accused officers of “battering him to death”.
Ms Bell also accused PIRC commissioner Kate Frame of “sniggering” during a meeting with her.
The inquiry heard earlier this week there were signs of a disturbance at the house Ms Bell shared with Mr Bayoh.
Mr Bayoh died on the town’s Hayfield Road on May 3, 2015 after being restrained by officers.
The inquiry was previously told how officers were ordered not to tell Ms Bell or Mr Bayoh’s sister about his contact with police.
Ms Bell said she was taken to an interview room at the station, where she was told a body had been found.
Asked by counsel to the inquiry Angela Grahame KC if she was sure about the phrase used, Ms Bell said: “I would swear on my children’s life.
“No ups, down, maybes – I didn’t misunderstand anything
“I remember those words being told to me like it was yesterday and there is no hesitation in my mind that he said ‘there’s been a body found that matches your partner’s description’.”
She added she was “as sure as sure can be” about a number of follow-up questions she asked officers, including whether Mr Bayoh had any wounds.
Police told her ‘intentional lies’
Asked how she felt about the order to keep the true circumstances from her, she replied: “Disgusted.
“I don’t feel it’s withholding information, that is a straight up lie.
“It might make you feel better to see that you’re with holding information but to me that’s not withholding information that’s intentionally lying.”
Ms Bell said DS Wayne Parker told her she could see Mr Bayoh’s body after making a statement, a claim denied by the officer during his evidence.
She said: “I was very angry when I watched that – absolutely disgusted actually.”
“It made me very upset.
“I wish that I would have the opportunity to be across from Wayne Parker and get him to look me in the eyes and tell me that he did not say that, because he did.
“I’m so angry that he said that – he didn’t say that.
“I can assure you if they had explained to me that I wouldn’t get to see Shek and it could possibly be a few days, I would’ve been running out that police station to go and see him – I would’ve tried to go to the hospital.”
Fife commanding officer shrugged
Ms Bell also said a senior officer merely shrugged after she accused officers of “battering him to death”.
Fife Area Commander Chief Superintendent Garry McEwan – who was known by Mr Bayoh’s brother-in-law Adi Johnstone – visited the family on the evening following his death.
Ms Bell said: “I just remember him coming to the house and saying that there had been a forceful arrest, and they had used CS spray, pepper spray and batons.
“I remember him saying that Shek had gone towards them with a knife and about how he had hit a female police officer.
“I just thought ‘why are they talking to us? They’ve got the wrong person, they’re definitely not talking about Shek here.
“I just thought this is madness, this is not the person I know and there’s no way they’re talking about the same person.
“I do remember, after him telling us about the forceful arrest, I had said ‘ so you battered him to death’.
“He raised his hands, shrugged his shoulders, as if to say ‘dunno’.
“That will never leave me.
“I remember thinking ‘are you serious? You’re shrugging your shoulders. Is it you don’t know or you don’t care?’
“I remember him shrugging his shoulders and being so angry.”
Meeting with PIRC
Ms Bell also described a meeting with PIRC boss Kate Frame in the days following Mr Bayoh’s death.
She said she viewed it as “the police investigating the police” due to the organisation being made up of ex-officers.
“I remember going to the meeting and at this point, we knew about Shek’s injuries.
“We had had a poster of all of Shek’s injuries.
“I remember going to this meeting and Kate Frame telling us about Police Scotland, how are they worked and I remember being really really quite angry at this meeting.
“She said that they didn’t think there was any reason to think that any criminality had taken place.
“I remember we had just seen all these injuries and I remember holding up the poster and saying ‘if this was a member of the public who had caused someone all of these injuries there would be justice here’.
“I remember her being very, very snide and almost laughing at me.
“I think at one point, she actually did snigger – my anger and my upset was funny to her.”
She believes Mr Bayoh would still be alive had he not come into contact with police on that day.
The inquiry continues
The inquiry has previously heard how officers tackled Mr Bayoh on Kirkcaldy’s Hayfield Road.
Mr Bayoh later died in hospital following the incident.
The inquiry, chaired by Lord Bracadale, aims to examine the circumstances surrounding his death and whether race was a factor.
