Zahid Mubarek's death shames us!
UK: It is difficult to imagine a more brutal murder than that of Zahid Mubarek. The 19-year-old was clubbed to death by his cellmate at Feltham Young Offender Institution in the early hours of 21 March 2000. He was due to be released just a few hours later.
This Thursday, Mr Justice Keith will finally begin a public inquiry into the mistakes that led to this killing. The prison service has admitted responsibility for the death and its director-general, Martin Narey, has apologised to the Mubarek family for failing Zahid. An inquiry is not designed to bring justice; that is the function of the courts. In handing down a life sentence to Mubarek's killer, Robert Stewart, in November 2000, the criminal justice system did what it could.
Some would argue that a line should have been drawn under the case at that point. The Home Office claims it has now put checks in place to prevent the negligence that placed Stewart, a racist who had threatened to kill his 'padmate', with a vulnerable Asian prisoner serving his first sentence.
But this death was not just the result of a series of mistakes stemming from overcrowding and undermanning. The inquiry will examine a culture of prejudice at the heart of the prison service, which goes far beyond so-called 'institutional racism'. Colin Moses, the first black chairman of the Prison Officers' Association, is also the first senior member of his organisation to recognise that there is a right-wing hardcore of thugs within the POA which must be rooted out.
Zahid Mubarek was a criminal, but he had all but served his time and the prison service owed him a duty of care. That he was murdered on the eve of his release reveals a terrible abnegation of that duty.
David Blunkett has been wrong to resist the calls for an inquiry. But the pace of change in prison reform has been so shamefully slow that the findings four-and-a-half years on will remain woefully relevant. Ministers should instigate a full-scale investigation into racism in the prison service. Where abuses are found, they must be dealt with by the courts. Zahid Mubarek's family deserves nothing less.
By Just Us posted 16 November 04
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