Justice for Christopher Kapessa

South Wales Police & the Crown Prosecution Service have failed my beloved son Christopher Kapessa due to their institutional racism

My name is Alina Jospeh. I am writing this plea for help as a bereaved mother who has been forced to become a justice campaigner.

On 1^st July 2019 my son, Christopher, aged 13 was killed after being pushed into the River Cynon in Mountain Ash in South Wales.

Initially, and without proper investigation, South Wales Police wrongly concluded Christopher’s death was a tragic accident. They even searched my house when they knew Christopher ‘s body was in the river. I know that my son was a victim of racial bullying and harassment. The initial police investigation was seriously flawed and as a consequence I lodged a formal police complaint through The Monitoring Group, a national anti-racist charity.

As a result, South Wales police’s major crime investigation team was brought in. Finally, at the end of 2019, they sent their investigation findings to the Crown Prosecution Service. It vindicated what I and my supporters had been saying all along - that Christopher did not die in an accident.

On 19 February 2020, the CPS wrote to me stating that there was sufficient evidence to support a charge of manslaughter but a prosecution was not in the public interest. This was challenged by my previous legal representatives via a victim’s right of review. However, in July 2020, the CPS stuck to its original decision despite admitting there was sufficient evidence for a successful conviction on the charge of manslaughter against the juvenile suspect.

A claim for a judicial review challenging the CPS‘s decision was lodged at the High Court on 20 October 2020.

I really believe if a white boy had lost his life in a similar incident involving a group of black boys and girls, the initial police investigation and the public interest test by the CPS would have reached different conclusions. I also believe I have been treated differently because of my colour and race

 It seems my son’s life is worth less than the public interest afforded to the suspect. This case has echoes of the culture of institutional racism uncovered during the Stephen Lawrence Public Inquiry in 1999.

We know from the Stephen Lawrence case  the Judicial Review is the first significant step on a long march towards justice. I have managed to secure the services of eminent human right lawyers including barristers Michael Mansfield QC and Phil Rule. In addition Daniel Cooper  a solicitor at Imran Khan & partners.

My family and I have had our lives torn apart by what happened and the way we have been treated following Christopher’s death. I will not  rest until we, through your support, get justice for my son.

Please donate towards the legal costs for the new solicitors and representations at  the judicial review hearings at the Royal Courts of Justice. To start with,  we need another £3,000 for this urgent work.

We need to dismantle the institutional and structural racism prevalent in the criminal justice system. PLEASE BE PART OF THE CHANGE.

Thank you for your support & donations to assist my family in getting justice. Please share the link. 

The campaign is co-ordinated by The Monitoring Group. For further information, please contact [email protected]

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