Sheku police treated us 'like criminals and second-class citizens'

Paralysed war hero told to leave house as cops entered

-  MARCELLO MEGA

A HERO crippled during the Iraq War was forced from his home by police in a raid following the death of Sheku Bayoh, an inquiry has heard.

Dad-of-two Sheku died after being restrained on the ground by six police officers in Kirkcaldy on May 3, 2015.

The inquiry is investigating the circumstances of his death and whether race was a factor.

It heard yesterday from Saadia Rashid, the sister of Abid Saeed, who suffered catastrophic injuries in Baghdad in 2003 while serving his country with the Parachute Regiment.

Saadia told of her "traumatic nightmare experience" when police came to the family home shortly after Sheku's death. They were looking for her twin brother Zahid, Sheku's best pal.

About 16 months earlier, Zahid's son Mikaeel Kular, three, was murdered by his own mother, Rosdeep Adekoya.

Saadia said officers treated the family "like criminals" and "second-class citizens" as "we were Pakistani and Muslims".

She said she had tried to reason with police when they arrived to declare the house a crime scene, insisting it had to be cleared and searched.

Saadia said two uniformed officers knocked, initially looking for Zahid, and later returned with colleagues.