17th July 2012

Makenda Adrienne Kambana, Jimmy Mubenga’s wife said:

“We are distraught my husband has been taken away from me and my children have lost their father.  He was crying for help before he was killed.  We can’t understand why the officers and G4S are not answerable to the law as we or any other member of the public would be.”

Deborah Coles, co-director of INQUEST said:

“We are extremely disappointed by this decision.  Yet again, there is a failure of the state to prosecute following the use of force.

“This is a shameful decision that flies in the face of the evidence about the dangerous use of force used against people being forcibly removed and the knowledge base that existed within G4S and the Home Office about the dangers of restraint techniques. It once again raises concerns about the quality of the investigations into deaths following the use of force by state agents and the decision-making process of the CPS.

“The impetus now must be for a far reaching, effective and prompt inquest, with the full involvement of his family.  There must be full, open and public scrutiny of all the events that led to his death at the hands of private G4S security guards.”

Mark Scott of Bhatt Murphy the family’s solicitor said:

“The family are devastated that the circumstances of Mr Mubenga’s death and the people restraining him will not be called to explain their actions in criminal proceedings. The DPP’s decision not to prosecute is deeply troubling.  The evidence is that Mr Mubenga died after crying for help whilst under restraint. This is not capable of being determined behind closed doors without a full examination of the witnesses and the medical evidence.  It is a surprise and shock that the DPP has not learned the lessons of earlier decisions and still sees fit to act as judge and jury rather than allowing the normal path of criminal justice to be followed.”

Ends

Notes to editors:

1. Jimmy Mubenga died whilst being restrained during a removal from the UK on 12 October 2010. He was being escorted by three private security guards working for Group 4 Services (G4S) contracted by the UK Border Agency (UKBA).

A full briefing on his death is available here