Scotland's 'Stephen Lawrence' case to reopen

The family of an Asian waiter murdered by a white gang in Scotland 13 years ago have been given hope of getting justice after it was announced his case will be re-opened.

Strathclyde police will re-open its file on the murder of Surjit Singh Chhokar, who became known as "Scotland's Stephen Lawrence", following a meeting with his family in Edinburgh yesterday.

The Chhokar family renewed their hopes of seeing his killers being convicted after two men were found guilty of the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence.

Three men were previously cleared of the 1998 attack on Chhokar but the abolition of the double-jeopardy law means those who have been tried before can be brought to court again if there is new and compelling evidence against them.

Like the Lawrence family, who have waited nearly two decades to get some closure on the loss of their son, Chhokar's family are hoping they can bring to justice those responsible for his murder.

Chhokar was knifed to death in Overtown, South Lanarkshire by three white men. Race was seen to be a motivating factor but this was ruled out by the police at the time.

The family were failed by the justice system at two separate trials as three original suspects were acquitted. Two inquiries investigating the police and the treatment of the Chhokar family found they were badly treated.

In 2001, the then Lord Advocate, Colin Boyd QC, admitted the Crown office and the police had failed the family as the inquiries found elements of "institutional racism" in the police and prosecution service.

Surjit's sister Manjit Sangha and his niece Suki Sangha met with the Lord Advocate Frank Mulholland QC at the Crown office yesterday. They expressed their relief of the outcome but know they have a long way to go.

The fight for justice that the Lawrence family showed in putting those responsible for their son's murder years after his death despite dealing with the anguish of losing a loved one, has been inspirational, albeit the unfortunate circumstances.

Hopefully the Chhokar family will be able to see the men responsible for taking Surjit away from them pay for their crime.