Met cop found not guilty in murder of Chris Kaba
Protests have formed outside the Old Bailey after Metropolitan Police marksman Martyn Blake was cleared of murder following the death of Chris Kaba in court today.
Chris, 24, was shot in the head through the windscreen of an Audi following a police pursuit and ‘hard stop’ by officers on September 5, 2022.
A year later, Blake was charged with murder following a referral from the police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
Following three hours of deliberation from a jury on Monday, the firearms officer was found not guilty of murdering Mr Kaba.
Dozens of protestors have gathered outside the courthouse with Mr Kaba’s family, who say they are ‘devastated’ and feel ‘the deep pain of injustice’.
They said the verdict was a failure ‘for all those affected by police violence’, adding that ‘no family should endure the unimaginable grief we have faced’.
In a statement issued by campaign group Inquest, Mr Kaba’s family said they would ‘continue fighting for Chris, for justice, and for real change’.
Chants of ‘say his name – Chris Kaba’ and ‘No justice – no peace’ were heard outside the Central Criminal Court on Monday evening as police closed off the road to traffic.
Mr Kaba’s family, who long campaigned for justice for their son, said they had been left ‘devastated’ by the result.