The family of Chris Kaba, a Black man shot dead by a police officer, have demanded justice after the officer was cleared of murder this week. Following the trial, a judge ruled that Kaba’s criminal record, which revealed that he had shot a man in the leg in a Hackney nightclub and was the alleged key member of gang, could be made public.
Kaba was shot fatally by police in Streatham in September 2022, after his car was stopped on suspicion of criminal behaviour. The armed officer who shot him, Martyn Blake, was acquitted on Monday.
During Blake’s trial, Kaba’s criminal record was not heard by the jurors, as it was ruled that the details were not relevant to the case.
However, after Blake’s acquittal, the judge lifted restrictions on reporting Kaba’s background, following a statement from the police arguing that release of the details could “quell any potential unrest.”
Kaba allegedly had connections to a known gang in London with other members who had been convicted, or linked to drugs and violence, and was directly linked to shooting a man in both legs at the Oval Space night club in Hackney in August 2022.
Kaba was first convicted of a crime at the age of 13, and had served periods of prison time, with the most recent being April 2022.
Blake’s fellow firearms officers and the commissioner argued that Blake kept within the boundaries of the law and should not have been put on trial in the first place, as he had allegedly never fired a shot before Kaba’s shooting.
Matt Cane, the general secretary of the Metropolitan Police Federation said: “The ramifications of this case remain widespread; police officers should not have their livelihoods, and their liberty, put at risk for performing what unequivocally, in this case, was his lawful and appropriate function.”
However, Kaba’s family say that Blake’s acquittal shows that the system does not care about them: “The not guilty verdict leaves us with the deep pain of injustice adding to the unbearable sorrow we have felt since Chris was killed. No family should endure the unimaginable grief we have faced. Chris was stolen from us, and this decision shows his life – and many others like him – does not matter to the system.”
Kaba’s cousin, Sheeda Queen said: “The acquittal of Martyn Blake isn’t just a failure for our family but for all those affected by police violence.”
After Blake’s acquittal, around 150 people held a vigil at the Old Bailey protesting the decision.
Eastlondonlines had previously reported that Kaba’s death had sparked protests in Lewisham and other areas of the capital, and some acknowledge that this ruling does not ease the tensions between the Black community and the police.
