Chris Kaba: Met Police officer to be charged with murder
A police officer is set to face charges in connection with the killing of Chris Kaba, who was fatally shot in south London last year.
Mr. Kaba lost his life during a police operation in Streatham Hill on September 5, 2022.
The Metropolitan Police officer involved, whose identity cannot be disclosed due to legal constraints, is scheduled to appear in Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, where formal charges will be filed against them.
The police oversight authority confirmed that both the officer and Mr. Kaba’s family were informed of this decision on Wednesday morning.
Mr. Kaba, aged 24, was under police surveillance and being trailed by multiple police vehicles when he turned into Kirkstall Gardens, where a marked police car blocked his path. Tragically, he was fatally shot by a single bullet fired into the vehicle he was driving.
In a joint statement, Mr. Kaba’s family expressed their appreciation for the decision to press charges, emphasizing that it was long overdue.
They spoke of Chris’s deep love within the family and among his friends, underscoring the promising future he had before his life was abruptly cut short. The family and their broader community are united in their demand for justice for Chris.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has been in possession of the evidence file since March, following a referral from the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).
Rosemary Ainslie, the head of the CPS special crime division, noted that the CPS conducted a thorough examination of the available evidence.
The officer is currently suspended from duty and the Met said it would consider misconduct matters after criminal proceedings have concluded.
Met Deputy Assistant Commissioner Helen Millichap described the decision as a “significant and serious development” in the case.
She added that the Met “fully supported the IOPC investigation” and “our thoughts are with everyone affected by this case”.
“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,” she said.
