Theft of Co-operation
November 9, 2014Press Release – Further Response to Conduct of BBC
November 10, 2014
The Fitted-In Project is very disappointed that the BBC’s Panorama and Week In Week Out chose to write us out of history again. We, especially our CEO Satish Sekar, played an essential part in the events which followed the release of the Cardiff Three in 1992. The BBC did not. Despite approaching them several times with important stories over this case several times over the years we were ignored. Even after our concerns were spectacularly vindicated this unethical conduct has continued.
- “This is the story of one of the most notorious miscarriages of justice in British history told by Satish Sekar, whose unremitting efforts helped lead to the vindication of the Cardiff Five. They always were innocent, but their freedom was not enough. The memory of Lynette White and her family deserved justice too and that required the conviction of the real killer, Jeffrey Gafoor. This book shows how even a very difficult case can be solved if there is the will to investigate it thoroughly. It details how an awful miscarriage of justice was finally corrected by the conviction of the real killer. Satish’s work was pivotal to achieving this, and he is keen to continue the fight to ensure that the lessons of an extraordinary case are properly learned.”
Steven Bird
(Leading solicitor and Treasurer of the Criminal Appeals Lawyers’ Association)
We highlighted issues that other media have ignored – issues that contribute to the miscarrying of justice and the continued devastation of the lives of all of the victims of these injustices.Yusef Abdullahi was deprived of assistance to rebuild his life despite a government scheme to assist victims of miscarriages of justice. It took 8 years to correct a scandalous error by a Home Office appointed consultant. All other media have ignored this scandal.
- “As a victim of institutional racism I quickly saw the injustice of the case of the Cardiff Five and came to appreciate and admire the work that Satish Sekar out in on that case especially. He cared about all the victims of that injustice and others too. Twenty years later he continues to fight for justice. His role in that case was pivotal – having worked not only to free the innocent, but to bring the guilty to justice. Even after making history in that respect he continues to fight on to bring to book the system that allowed so gross an injustice to happen. … There are forgotten or ignored victims of crime. My family has first-hand experience of that. I appreciated Satish’s often unseen efforts to help all of the victims. Twenty years after we met in horrible circumstances we remain friends and working together. Sadly the battle against injustice that brought us together remains to be won.”
Richard Adams
(Father of racist murder victim Rolan and Trustee of The Fitted-In Project)
We offered the BBC unique access to the historic inquiry into what went wrong, having secured unprecedented co-operation from the police. The BBC didn’t bother to accompany us to Cardiff to do so in 2008, refusing to commit to a story it now says is important for them to cover.
- “This is one of the most important books to have been written in the last decade on miscarriages of justice and everyone should read it. Satish Sekar has been one of the most dedicated opponents of miscarriages of justice for many years. His work has been invaluable. His persistence has also ensured that these issues have remained within the public eye. … Without his pioneering work to vindicate the Cardiff Five these issues would never have made it into the newspapers or into the courts.If it had not been for Satish and his dedication to one of the most high profile miscarriages of justice in British history, the Cardiff Five case, those who were involved would probably not have been challenged and the real killer of Lynette White never brought to justice.”
Mags Gavan
(BAFTA award-winning documentary-maker)
Sekar was offered an insulting choice by the BBC to take part in the programme by the BBC, which they have not tried to impose on other journalists who have not achieved as much. Sekar agreed to be interviewed, subject to a complaint. The conditions would ensure that his criticisms of the BBC designed to assist the reporting of miscarriages of justice and related issues would never be broadcast.
The Fitted-In Project is concerned about the conditions that the BBC tried to impose and justify even now. Nobody else has been treated like this, especially after an unprecedented achievement. For the truth about the Lynette White Inquiry see Sekar’s books Fitted In: The Cardiff 3 and the Lynette White Inquiry and The Cardiff Five: Innocent Beyond Any Doubt, which was published recently by Waterside Press.
