Body mix-up investigation ‘reaching an end’

South Yorkshire Police launched a criminal inquiry last November after the body of the ex-soldier, who died in police custody in Hull in 1998, was discovered in a hospital mortuary 11 years after his family thought they had buried him.

The blunder was revealed when relatives of a Nigerian woman Grace Kamara, 77, came to collect her body for burial but were told it could not be found.

Detective Superintendent Richard Fewkes, of South Yorkshire Police, said they were waiting approval from international authorities to interview a number of people, which had caused a “slight but not unexpected” delay.

He said: “Once these enquiries have been completed the investigation will enter its final stage and detectives will be in a position to formally approach the Crown Prosecution Service for advice which is required in cases of this nature”

Christopher’s sister Janet Alder said: “It seems to be taking a long time. I can’t help but believe that this has been some kind of reaction to the unlawful killing verdict (of the inquest jury) by the mortuary staff. This is not an accident. It just poses so many questions and I still don’t know any more now than when it started.

“I would like to know why it’s two black bodies, why a man and a woman, why a 37-year-old and someone in their 70s, and why when there were the moves to different mortuaries that nobody has known all this time. I’m looking forward to the South Yorkshire Police answering these questions.

“As the member of the family who arranged the first funeral this has had a massive impact on me.”