Riot deaths families ‘failed by the system they trusted’

On 10 August 2011 during rioting in Birmingham, three men – Haroon Jahan (aged 21), Shazad Ali (aged 30) and Abdul Musavir (aged 31) – were struck by a car and killled in the Winson Green area of the city.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) found that Detective Inspector (DI) Khalid Kiyani, the family liaison co-ordinator for the murder investigation, offered eyewitnesses to the incident immunity from prosecution from public order offences if they provided witness statements.

His offering of immunity to a group of unknown individuals without due consideration to potential offences or appropriate authorisation was a reckless act IPCC Deputy Chair Rachel Cerfontyne

The IPCC found that DI Kiyani, who retired in October 2012 after 30 years’ service, would have had a case to answer for gross misconduct if he had still been serving.

The report rejected DI Kiyani’s claim that the senior investigating officer on the case, Detective Chief Inspector (DCI) AnthonyTagg, had authorised his promise of immunity.

The IPCC Deputy Chair Rachel Cerfontyne said: “Three young men were tragically killed during a time of extraordinary rioting across many of our cities. There can be no doubt that community tensions were extremely high at the time and there was significant pressure on police. Everyone will remember the poignancy and courage of the bereaved families involved in calling for calm so soon after their tragic loss.”

“Detective Inspector Kiyani was attempting to encourage individuals within the local community to come forward and provide details to progress the triple murder investigation. However, as an experienced senior officer, his offering of immunity to a group of unknown individuals without due consideration to potential offences or appropriate authorisation was a reckless act.”

The failure to disclose to the defence the offer of immunity from prosecution later led to the collapse of a trial of eight men for the three murders. The IPCC report found that DCI Tagg should have been more forcible and clear in advising prosecution counsel of the immunity issue and recommended that he be “reminded of his responsibilities as a senior investigating officer.”

Read more: Bereaved father Tariq Jahan tells Channel 4 News 'I expected justice. All I got was a slap in the face'

One of the victims, Shazad Ali, was newly wed at the time of his death and never met his son Abdul who his wife Khansa is now bringing up alone. Speaking to Channel 4 News Home Affairs Correspondent Darshna Soni his sister Sumera called on West Midlands police to reopen their investigation.