This is the heading over an item posted today on Paul McConville’s excellent blog Random Thoughts Re Scots Law. The first two and the last three paragraphs read as follows:
“Yesterday’s Scotland on Sunday ran a piece about the continuing Crown Office investigation into the Lockerbie bombing. I have some thoughts to offer on the article.
“I should say that I am firmly in the camp, having read the judgements in the trial and the appeal, and having considered the evidence and arguments published as time has passed, including the concerns of the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission, that Mr al-Megrahi was wrongfully convicted. (...)
“What would happen if, during these inquiries, the Crown discovered compelling evidence that Mr al-Megrahi had been wrongly convicted?
“A cynic might suggest that it would not see the light of day. However, I am sure that justice would be done, and the evidence revealed, even if it shook the foundations of the guilty verdict which the Scottish Government has doggedly sought to defend since it was delivered.
“The Justice For Megrahi campaign deserves huge credit for its continuing efforts, as does the lawyer, Professor Tony Kelly, who so ably took on Mr al-Megrahi’s case for the second appeal. Let’s hope that there is not a need for a Justice for Fhimah campaign at some point in the future.”
The intervening thirty-five paragraphs should be read by all who have a genuine concern for the Scottish criminal justice system and its performance in relation to the Lockerbie case. I suspect that this does not include the Crown Office.
"........even if it shook the foundations of the guilty verdict which the Scottish Government has doggedly sought to defend since it was delivered."
ReplyDeleteI would not seek to defend the Scottish Government on Lockerbie however I find that comment a bit harsh. The current Scottish Government is hardly alone in seeking to defend a verdict which was simply indefensible from the beginning.