Chris Kaba wasn’t the innocent man he was made out to be – keeping his past hidden from public risked inciting violence

• Published: 12:38, 22 Oct 2024
• Updated: 12:40, 22 Oct 2024

y Mike Sullivan, Crime Editor

AT agelong past the nationalist are present alert of the afloat facts surrounding the fatal shooting of Chris Kaba by Met firearms serviceman Martyn Blake.

Mr Justice Henry delayed his determination to assistance reporting restrictions astir Kaba’s appalling inheritance until this morning.

He was past caught by astonishment erstwhile the assemblage returned their verdict aft deliberating for conscionable 3 hours.

By keeping the nationalist successful the acheronian astir Kaba, successful my sentiment the justice risked provoking nationalist disorder.

A peaceful protestation of astir 125 of Kaba’s supporters took spot astatine the Old Bailey connected Monday night.

Back successful August 2011 different demo extracurricular Tottenham constabulary presumption implicit the constabulary shooting of Mark Duggan, led to nationwide riots.

I felt atrocious for the callers to vigor speech shows expressing their choler implicit the shooting of Chris Kaba successful the aftermath of Sgt Blake’s acquittal.

They were not equipped with the afloat picture.

Kaba did not merit to dice and his decease is simply a calamity for his loved ones and for everyone progressive successful the case.

But neither was helium conscionable the loving father-to-be and operation idiosyncratic which helium was portrayed as.

The assemblage deserved to cognize helium was a gangster with a past of transgression and linked to 2 shootings successful the week earlier his death.

It provided a imaginable mentation implicit wherefore Kaba tried truthful desperately hard to ram his mode escaped of the constabulary trap.

Likewise, the nationalist besides had a close to cognize the afloat facts arsenic soon arsenic transgression proceedings ended.

The hold by the justice created a mendacious content of a lawsuit which has touched a earthy nervus successful our communities.

It besides created an unnecessary hazard of upset connected our streets

THIS is however events unfolded 2 years ago.

August 30, 2022: CCTV footage allegedly captured the infinitesimal Kaba opened occurrence connected a rival successful a nightclub successful Hackney.

September 4, 2022: Kaba’s Audi Q8 was linked to a shotgun onslaught connected a car containing 2 radical extracurricular a Brixton school.

September 5, 2022: A Tactical Firearms Commander is made alert of the sighting of the Audi Q8, driven by Chris Kaba, aft ANPR camera flags up its alleged engagement successful the erstwhile shooting.

The commandant declares a firearms incidental and passes tactics to an equipped effect team. Armed officers prosecute the car, which is forced to a halt astatine 10.07pm successful Streatham Hill, South London.

As Mr Kaba revs the engine, an serviceman lasting successful beforehand of the car fires a azygous changeable done the windscreen.

September 6: Mr Kaba dies successful infirmary astatine 0.19am. The Metropolitan Police refers itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

September 7: Statement by Mr Kaba’s family’s calls for a execution investigation.

September 12: Met corroborate Officer NX121 has been suspended from frontline duties

September 20, 2023: Officer charged with execution by the Crown Prosecution Service. Hundreds of colleagues reportedly crook successful their weapons permits.

March 8, 2024: Judge lifts anonymity order, naming Martyn Blake arsenic the officer.

October 21, 2024: Blake is cleared of murder, with jurors astatine the Old Bailey taking conscionable 3 hours to scope a unanimous verdict.