Lord Bracadale Refuses Recusal as Sheku Bayoh Inquiry Chair

Lord Bracadale, chairman of the Sheku Bayoh Inquiry, has refused to recuse himself despite accusations of bias stemming from his meetings with Mr Bayoh's family. The application for his recusal was lodged by the Scottish Police Federation and others, who argued that these meetings compromised his impartiality; however, Lord Bracadale ruled that there was no real possibility of bias, describing the meetings as transparent and necessary for the inquiry. The inquiry, which examines the 2015 death of Sheku Bayoh after being restrained by police officers and whether race was a factor, remains ongoing with important work yet to be completed. Lord Bracadale also decided not to terminate the appointments of assessors who were challenged alongside him. Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes acknowledged the thorough consideration behind his decision and expressed hope that the inquiry can now progress. The Scottish Police Federation had not alleged actual bias but expressed concerns about the appearance of bias due to the private meetings.