Emotional Day 3 for Samwel Uko family as public inquest continues

Members of the Black in Saskatchewan, a youth-led community organization, stood with Samwel Uko’s family members in front of a table where photos, trophies, and awards were displayed of Uko’s accomplishments.

They rallied together on the third day of the public inquest into Uko’s death in 2020, when he was seeking for medical attention at the Regina General Hospital (RGH) for mental health issues.

The family expressed disappointment, anger and sadness with the public inquest so far.

“We heard from the witnesses from the hospital. (Now) we know they did not do anything,” said Justin Nyee, Uko’s uncle. “So they lied to the family. Regina Hospital staff manager, director, the CEO, they’re all lied to the family. They deceived us.”

Nyee translated for Uko’s parents Taban and Joice Bankando as they addressed media before the inquest started.

“He was a laid back, easygoing person. He’s always laughing, joking around,” said Uko’s father. “He’s the son every dad will wish they had.”

In July 2021, the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) paid the Uko family over $81,000 in compensatory damages. Nyee announced that the family plans to return the compensation.

“We don’t need it because they deceived us,” he said. “They lied to us. They are not honest about what they are doing.”

Inquest

RGH video surveillance of Uko’s last visit to the emergency was shown to the jury. Moments into the video, security guards were talking to Uko, when he was being escorted off his chair.

Uko yelled, “Leave me alone, I have mental issues.” As security guards physically escorted him outside, Uko shouted “No, no, no.”

The video was interrupted as shouts came from Uko’s sister, Yasmine directed to one of the nurses. The coroner adjourned the inquest to allow heightened emotions to settle. Uko’s family members were in tears.

Sara Thompson, a registered nurse, worked the triage desk on the afternoon when Uko was brought in by members of Regina Police Service (RPS). She described RPS officers taking Uko to the COVID-19 screening checkpoint. He was seated on a chair in the hallway between the registration and triage desks.

RPS Constable Trent Walker said he and his partner provided the registration desk with a form that included very little information on Uko. Since he went in voluntarily, Constable Walker was told by his sergeant that “they had no reason to stay with Samwel at the hospital.”

“He was at a place where he needed help,” said Walker, who teared up as he spoke to the jury.

But receiving help did not happen.

Two security guards testified and were asked who made the decision to escort Uko out of the hospital. Both said they decided to do so themselves.

Security had been told, due to COVID-19, that no one could linger in the waiting room if they weren’t waiting to see a doctor. According to the security officers testimony, Uko was not registered. They testified that they asked the triage nurse where to move Uko and Thompson replied “anywhere but there.”

Thompson said she didn’t think the security guards were going to escort him out of the building.

“I figured they made the assessment on their end,” said Thompson. “It was shocking obviously how everything transpired…it was upsetting.”

Inquest overview

Day 1: The jury heard from three witnesses which included a member of the Regina Fire & Protective Services, a forensic pathologist and the executive director for the Saskatchewan Health Authority. Witnesses testified about the recovery of Uko’s body from Wascana Lake, the autopsy and the Regina General Hospital emergency unit policies.

Day 2: Jurors heard from two friends, who were Uko’s past educational assistants in Abbotsford, British Columbia. The two witnesses testified by telephone stating how they tried to help Uko as they had seen his pleas for help.

The public inquest is expected to go until Friday, June 3, 2022 but with a possibility of extending until Monday, June 6.

0:45 Samwel Uko’s family remembers him as ‘happy’ and ‘playful’