20th March 2014

The Crown Prosecution Service has concluded there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest for the G4S guards involved in the death of Jimmy Mubenga, who died on 12 October 2010 following face-forward restraint in his seat on a British Airways flight from Heathrow airport to Angola, to be prosecuted for manslaughter. The jury at the inquest into Jimmy Mubenga’s death concluded in July 2013 that he had been unlawfully killed.

Adrienne Makenda Kambana, Jimmy Mubenga’s widow said:

“My children and I have waited a long time for this decision.  We hope the CPS will now move this case forward quickly. We feel like we are another step closer to getting justice for Jimmy.”

Deborah Coles, co-director of INQUEST said:

“This decision reiterates the importance of legal aid for families to be represented at inquests. It is legal aid that ensured a robust examination of all the evidence, which has ultimately resulted in today’s welcome decision.  The cuts to legal aid mean that cases like this in the future may well not receive this kind of scrutiny.”

Mark Scott, solicitor for Jimmy Mubenga’s family said:

“The family look to the Crown Prosecution Service now to ensure that they prosecute the case with the rigour and robustness required by the evidence available to them.  It has been a three and a half year struggle for the family to get to this point and they hope to get on with their lives once this final challenge is met.”

INQUEST has been working with the family of Jimmy Mubenga since his death in 2010, raising his case frequently in parliament and with national and international human rights bodies. The family is represented by INQUEST Lawyers Group members Mark Scott from Bhatt Murphy solicitors and barristers Henry Blaxland QC of Garden Court Chambers and Fiona Murphy of Doughty Street Chambers.

Neither the family, INQUEST or the solicitor will be making any further comment at this time.

Ends

Notes to editors:

1. At the inquest in 2013 into Jimmy Mubenga’s death, a jury returned a verdict of unlawful killing. Full details here
2. INQUEST has produced a comprehensive briefing on the death of Jimmy Mubenga and the associated issues, available here
3. There have been 11 unlawful killing verdicts at inquests involving deaths in state custody since 1990.  Further information on the INQUEST website here