Police officer cleared of Chris Kaba's murder 'still faces the sack' as watchdog considers misconduct proceedings
23 October 2024, 11:16 | Updated: 23 October 2024, 11:19
The armed police officer who was cleared of murdering gangster Chris Kaba this week could still be fired, as an internal investigation into his actions may be launched.
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The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is separately reviewing whether Martyn Blake should still face disciplinary proceedings for shooting Kaba dead, despite being acquitted.
Mr Blake has faced a two-year wait to be acquitted after the fatal shooting in September 2022.
It emerged on Tuesday that Kaba's former gang '67' had put out a £10,000 bounty on Mr Blake after the shooting. He has now gone into hiding.
Kaba was a "core member" of the gang and was accused of taking part in two shootings in the six days before he was shot dead by police.
Police bodycam shows moment Chris Kaba is shot
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is now being urged by Tory leadership candidate Robert Jenrick to intervene and prevent any further investigations.
Mr Jenrick told the Telegraph: "Martyn Blake was hauled through the courts for doing his job in incredibly difficult circumstances. He was acquitted by a jury in hours – the case is closed.
"The IOPC must now stop pursuing Sgt Blake and end this saga by dropping any further investigations immediately – especially given what we now know about Chris Kaba."
Mr Jenrick added: “The IOPC ultimately reports to Yvette Cooper. She must end this farce, if necessary by replacing the director general, so firearms officers have the confidence they need to protect the public.”
Nick Ferrari wants to know 'what on earth' is going on with the justice system
Separately, Ms Cooper is reviving a former Conservative review into how armed officers are held accountable following shootings.
Meanwhile the head of the Met Police is pushing for armed police to be shielded from prosecution after the Chris Kaba case.
Mark Rowley wants armed police to be exempt from criminal charges for shootings unless prosecutors can prove that the officer in question departed from training.
Rowley also wants investigations to be sped up so officers are mired in criminal investigations and disciplinary proceedings for less long.
He has called the accountability system "broken" and said he is worried it might lead to a loss of morale among firearms officers.
CPS footage shows moment Chris Kaba shoots rival in nightclub
Blake, 40, stood trial at the Old Bailey after shooting 24-year-old Kaba through the front windscreen of an Audi Q8 in Streatham, south-east London, on September 5 2022.
The car had been used as a getaway vehicle in a shooting the previous evening, and was hemmed in by police cars in Kirkstall Gardens after an officer recognised its registration number.
Kaba drove backwards and forwards trying to ram his way free, which Mr Blake told jurors made him believe one of his colleagues was about to die, and so he opened fire to stop the car.
On Monday, he was cleared of murder.
The verdict sparked protests by some, and Kaba's family said Mr Blake being found not guilty showed "our lives are not valued by the system".
