Hadush Kebatu, a convicted sex offender who was mistakenly released from prison instead of being deported, was sent back to Ethiopia with a payment of £500 after threatening disruption during his removal. The payment was reportedly a decision made by the removal team to avoid a lengthier and more costly process of detaining Kebatu and arranging a new deportation flight, potentially leading to legal challenges.
The 38-year-old, who had been serving a jail sentence for assaulting a 14-year-old girl and a woman in Essex, was deported after Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood took necessary actions to ensure his removal. Kebatu, an Ethiopian national, had triggered a manhunt in the southeast after fleeing to London from a hotel in Essex where he was staying.
Following his arrest in the Finsbury Park area, Kebatu was seen being escorted by plain-clothed police officers to a police van. Reports indicate that he had entered the UK via a small boat and left prison without a discharge grant for living expenses. Witness reports mention Kebatu’s confusion upon returning to the prison multiple times before being redirected to the railway station.
An investigation is underway regarding the mishandling of Kebatu’s release, and a prison officer has been relieved of duties related to discharging prisoners during this time.
