John Culatto
GIBRALTAR’S Supreme Court has this week rejected a petition by two policeman to review the inquest that found them guilty of the unlawful killing of two suspected smugglers in 2020.
Ceuta men Mohamed Abdeslam Ahmed and Mustafa Dris Mohamed died when a local police boat collided with their launch outside Gibraltar waters.
The two men died in the early hours of March 8, 2020 after the Royal Gibraltar Police (RGP) tried to help the Guardia Civil chase the suspected smugglers.
Despite the original verdict, the RGP decided not to prosecute the pair.
The Supreme Court’s rejection of the two policemen’s application for a judicial review of the inquest’s verdict disappointed the local police federation.
It said that this latest ruling does not do justice to the officers and the reality of fighting crime at sea.
The Police Federation said it would support the officers if they try to appeal the judgement.
During the original inquest in November 2021, a jury found that the RGP breached a duty of care to the crew of the RHIB it was chasing.
It also found that the two deaths were a reasonably foreseeable consequence of the boat’s actions.
The jury decided that the coxswain of the police launch was grossly negligent and his actions amounted to the crime of manslaughter.
Police Commissioner at the time of the incident, Ian McGrail was held responsible for the incident, one of the reasons given for the loss of confidence in his position.
ALSO READ:
- Stay Away: Police tell people to avoid Gibraltar/La Linea as rioters take to the streets over sea deaths
- SHOTS FIRED: Spanish customs injured by stones while chasing smugglers onto Gibraltar beach
- GIBRALTAR: Demo after death of Spanish ‘tobacco smuggler’ ruled accidental
