Exact date Met Police officer charged with murdering Chris Kaba will be named
A judge has ruled that an anonymity order will be lifted on March 1, which was covering the name of a Met Police firearms officer charged with the murder of Chris Kaba.
At a hearing at the Old Bailey on Friday, it was confirmed the anonymity order covering the officer – known only as NX121 – had been extended. The anonymous officer is charged with the murder of 24-year-old Chris Kaba, who died from a single gunshot after being stopped by police in Streatham, south London, on September 5 2022.
The trial was put back to October 1 and the trial judge will be Mr Justice Goss, the short hearing heard. Judge Mark Lucraft said the facts of the trial date, the judge’s name, and the date the anonymity order will be lifted could be reported
Unarmed, 24-year-old Chris Kaba died after being hit by a bullet fired by the officer. It occurred after police followed the vehicle he was driving in an unmarked car with no lights or sirens for 15 minutes before he turned into a residential street in Streatham, south-west London.
Expectant father Mr Kaba's car was boxed in by officers tailing him through Kirkstall Gardens on September 5 2022, following a high-speed chase. In the aftermath of his death, Mr Kaba's family also claimed a Rolex watch he was wearing at the time had gone missing.
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In September 2023, The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said that the officer was charged with murder. In a statement, the CPS said: "The Crown Prosecution Service has authorised a charge of murder for a Met firearms officer in relation to the fatal shooting of Chris Kaba in September 2022. The officer will attend Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, 21 September.
The officer will be named on March 1 (Getty Images)"The charging decision was made by the CPS following a referral from the Independent Office for Police Conduct. The officer remains suspended from duty. Misconduct matters will be considered at the conclusion of the criminal proceedings."
In response, the family of Mr Kaba said they "welcomed" the charging decision. They said: "Chris was so very loved by our family and all his friends. He had a bright future ahead of him, but his life was cut short. Our family and our wider community must see justice for Chris. Now we await the trial of the firearms officer without delay and hope and pray that justice will be served."
An inquest at Inner South London Coroner's Court in October last year heard the father-to-be's Audi was blocked by a police car. There was 'contact' between the two vehicles before a marksman fired a single shot through the windscreen. The court heard the bullet hit Mr Kaba, who was not being treated as a suspect at the time, in the head. The vehicle had been linked by police to a firearms incident the previous day. When news of Mr Kaba's killing emerged it sparked outrage in the capital, prompting protests and demonstrations by campaigners.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Helen Millichap said: “We have fully supported the IOPC investigation as it has worked to establish the facts. “Today’s announcement is a significant and serious development. We must now allow the court process to run its course so it would not be appropriate for me to say more at this stage. “Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this case.”
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