Yves Sakila: Wife of pastor who was knocked down retracts part of her statement to gardaí

Gardaí told family members this week that investigators reviewing CCTV footage had established that Yves Sakila (pictured) and two security guards were involved in a collision with an elderly pastor during the incident. Photo: Facebook

The wife of a pastor who was knocked down during an incident involving Yves Sakila on the day he died has retracted part of her original account.

She has told investigators she is no longer certain who was responsible for knocking her husband to the ground.

The development has emerged as gardaí provided a detailed update to Mr Sakila's family during a recent meeting with their family liaison officer.

Mr Sakila, aged 35, died after being restrained by security personnel outside Arnott’s department store on Dublin's Henry Street on May 15. The Congolese man's death remains the subject of an ongoing Garda investigation and post-mortem examination.

Gardaí told family members this week that investigators reviewing CCTV footage had established that Mr Sakila and two security guards were involved in a collision with an elderly pastor during the incident.

However, relatives have been told that the pastor's wife, who had initially provided a statement regarding the circumstances in which her husband was knocked down, later retracted her statement, saying she was unsure whether it was Mr Sakila, one of the security guards, or a combination of those involved who caused him to fall.

The pastor has said he has forgiven whoever knocked him down. The investigation into the incident remains active and a number of significant questions have yet to be resolved, the family has said.

Relatives hired an independent pathologist from the UK, Dr David Rouse, who said Mr Sakila’s brain and heart should have been sent away for an examination in line with EU best practice in restraint cases.

Mr Sakila's family has been informed that no preliminary findings could be released until all forensic examinations, including toxicology testing, have been completed, which could take 12 weeks.

Samples are potentially being sent to specialist laboratories in England or Germany because certain forensic services are not available domestically.

The family were also told that a neck injury identified during the post-mortem process may have been a contributing factor in Mr Sakila's death. However, it was not an injury of strangulation and an exact cause of death has yet to be established.

Gardaí have also told the family that three perfume bottles were allegedly taken from the Hermès concession within Arnotts during the morning of May 15 by Mr Sakila.

He was approached by a security guard at approximately 10am and returned two of the bottles before leaving the store with one.

Security guards

He is alleged to have returned to the premises later that day, at approximately 5.30pm, when store staff alerted security personnel. 

The remaining perfume bottle was subsequently recovered, formally logged by staff and retained as part of the investigation.

The conduct of security personnel involved in the incident also forms part of the Garda inquiry. 

Investigators have identified six security guards who were present during the restraint and have begun interviewing them regarding their actions, training and the safety procedures in place at the time.

However, the family were told that a seventh individual, described to them as the main person involved in restraining Mr Sakila on the ground, has not yet been identified.

According to relatives, investigators are attempting to establish his identity through CCTV footage and by examining whether he entered nearby stores or made card transactions that day.

Two security guards were interviewed last week, while further interviews are continuing.

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The family were also informed that, despite the large number of people present during the incident, only 11 witnesses have so far provided statements to investigators.

A security guard from another department store has been identified as the person who called the gardaí.

Three individuals recorded the incident on mobile phones. However, gardaí have so far secured only one recording angle.

Mr Sakila's family remain focused on obtaining a full account of the circumstances that led to his death and are awaiting the results of the post-mortem and toxicology examinations.