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Chris Le Messie Kaba was shot dead by a police officer in Streatham Hill, London, England, on 5 September 2022 after a police pursuit. On the day of the shooting, Kaba was driving an Audi Q8 that officers believed was linked to a firearms incident the previous day. The police stopped the car at a police road block, and armed police then approached on foot. Kaba refused to leave the car and drove it into one of the police cars. One of the armed officers fired a single round at Kaba through the car windscreen. He was taken to hospital but died of his injuries the following day. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) then began investigating the shooting.

In September 2023, a police officer was charged with Kaba's murder; the trial began in October 2024 at the Old Bailey and concluded on 21 October 2024 with a not guilty verdict.

Following the trial, it was revealed that Kaba was the alleged gunman in a nightclub shooting 6 days before his death, and had been issued with a 28-day domestic violence protection order, which barred him from contacting the mother of his unborn child. It was also discovered that his family had tried to prevent publication of this information.

Background

Kaba was a member of 67, a Brixton Hill-based drill rap group which one of its members says has been called a criminal gang by the police. He was known by his stagename Madix or Mad Itch. He had convictions dating back to when he was aged 13 for offences including stabbing with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, a knife-enabled gang assault when the victim was stabbed and had his arm broken, and two other knife offences.

In 2015, when he was 17, Kaba was convicted of affray and possession of an offensive weapon over an incident in which a revolver-style handgun was recovered nearby, but the weapon wasn't linked to him and he was never charged in connection with it.

Kaba had been charged in 2018 with possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, in relation to an incident on 30 December 2017. He was found guilty at Snaresbrook Crown Court in January 2019, and sentenced to four years in a Young Offenders Institute. He was released in 2020.

In August 2020 Kaba was handed a five-month prison sentence for failing to stop and possession of a knife, which was discarded from a vehicle.

In the months following his death, six men were charged with conspiring with Kaba to commit murder and grievous bodily harm; the charges relate to a shooting which took place in Tower Hamlets on 30 August 2022, days before Kaba's death.

Shooting of Brandon Malutshi

On 30 August 2022, Brandon Malutshi was shot and injured in Tower Hamlets. Four men were subsequently accused of plotting with Chris Kaba and a sixth person to murder Malutshi. Four of the accused were tried, with two of them - Shemiah Bell and Marcus Pottinger - being found guilty of wounding with intent at the Old Bailey in February 2024. The two men were, along with Connel Bamgboye, found guilty of possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence. Three other defendants were found not guilty of all charges against them. At the time of the verdict, the BBC reported that the shooting of Malutsi was, "allegedly carried out by another man who died before he could stand trial," and that, "the alleged gunman cannot be identified for legal reasons."

Shooting

According to the IOPC, Kaba was driving an Audi Q8 which was followed by an unmarked police car occupied by armed officers. The IOPC say that the Audi was believed to have been linked to a "firearms incident" the day before and that the police car following did not activate their lights or sirens.

At around 22:07, Kaba made a left turn from New Park Road onto Kirkstall Gardens. A marked armed response vehicle was waiting on this road. Witnesses said that police vehicles had boxed the car in and that Kaba ignored repeated orders to get out of the vehicle, and was trying to ram the Audi through the roadblock. Armed officers exited their vehicles, then approached the Audi on foot. According to the IOPC, a police officer fired a single round at Kaba through the car's windscreen, striking him. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he died of his injuries just after 00:00 the following day.

According to the IOPC, "no non-police firearms were found" either in the car or at the scene. Kaba's family called for a "homicide investigation" into his death and for information about whether any weapons were found.

Reaction

Charity group Inquest released a statement which read "dad-to-be Chris’ loved ones said they are worried his life was cut short due to his skin colour."

In response to the shooting, about 40 protestors gathered outside Brixton police station on 8 September 2022, seeking recrimination for Kaba's death. Further protests took place outside New Scotland Yard in which over 300 people, including former Leader of the Opposition Jeremy Corbyn, attended. Journalist Sarah-Jane Mee mistook the protest for the gathering of people marking the death of the Queen; Sky News later issued an apology regarding this.

On 21 September the family of the deceased viewed the police body-worn camera footage of the incident. Afterwards, Kaba's cousin said that they now wanted justice, but would take a step back from campaigning.

Prosecution of police officer NX121

On 20 September 2023, the Crown Prosecution Service announced that it had authorised the charging of a Metropolitan Police ("Met") officer with murder in relation to the death. The police officer, "NX121", appeared before Westminster Magistrates' Court on the morning of 21 September, and then at the Old Bailey in the afternoon of the same day. He was granted bail with the conditions that he "lives at a named address, surrenders his passport and does not apply for international travel documents".

In response to the charge, by the morning of 25 September up to 300 of the more than 2,500 Metropolitan Police officers authorised to carry firearms had returned their permits to do so over concerns about the implication of the decision to prosecute. By the afternoon of the same day, the Met said many of the officers had resumed their armed duties.

A plea and trial preparation hearing was to take place on 1 December 2023; a preliminary date for the trial to begin was set for 9 September 2024. Having originally granted anonymity, Judge Mark Lucraft ruled that "NX121" would be named on 1 March 2024.. This was an unprecedented step in disclosure protocol. It was subsequently disclosed that the '67 Gang' of which Kaba was a member have offered a reward of £10,000 to anybody prepared to kill the officer who, along with his entire family, had to go into hiding since the public disclosure. At the time of the shooting a stock photo of Kaba was widely circulated in the press showing a young, smiling man who was about to be the father of a child. In fact he had received a restraining order preventing him from contacting the mother-to-be.

On 8 March 2024, the police officer appeared at the Old Bailey to enter his plea of not guilty, during which he confirmed his name and age. He was once more granted bail until the commencement of his trial.

On 2 October 2024, the trial began at the Old Bailey. On 21 October 2024, the police officer was found not guilty by the jury after just under 3 hours of deliberation.

Following the trial, the judge lifted reporting restrictions. It was revealed that Kaba had been charged in the days before his death in relation to a shooting in a nightclub. He also had a history of criminal convictions going back to his teenage years, including gang membership. The jury had not been made aware of Kaba's criminal history, as the judge had ruled that it would not have been known to the police officer when Kaba was shot and so was not relevant to that trial.

References

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