Chris Kaba: Met Police officer charged with murder granted bail

The 24-year-old construction worker was months away from becoming a father when he died

A Met Police firearms officer has been granted bail after being charged with murdering Chris Kaba, who died after a police operation in south London.

The unnamed Met officer had earlier been remanded into custody at Westminster Magistrates' Court ahead of an appearance at the Old Bailey, where he was granted bail.

Mr Kaba, 24, was shot in Streatham Hill on 5 September 2022.

His family became emotional when the officer appeared at the first hearing.

An anonymity order was granted so that the officer can only be identified as NX121.

Mr Kaba died from a single gunshot after the car he was driving was hemmed in by a police vehicle and an officer opened fire.

The construction worker was being followed by an unmarked police car with no lights or sirens.

Mr Kaba was shot dead by an officer in a residential street in south London

After turning into a residential street, he was blocked by a second marked police car and a firearms officer fired one shot through the windscreen and hit Mr Kaba in the head.

It later emerged that the Audi the 24-year-old was driving, which did not belong to him, had been linked by police to a gun incident the previous day.

Mr Kaba's parents and relatives sat in the public gallery as the Met officer appeared in the dock.

As prosecutor Tom Little KC explained how the case would progress, some people in the public gallery began to cry and left the court.

A court order was put in place by District Judge Nina Tempia banning the publication of anything that would identify the defendant, including any description.

The defendant later appeared at the Old Bailey, where he was granted bail on the conditions that he lives at a named address, surrenders his passport and does not apply for international travel documents.

Recorder of London Mark Lucraft KC told NX121 that a plea and trial preparation hearing will be listed for 1 December, with a possible trial date of 9 September next year.

A hearing will take place at the same court on Friday next week to discuss a legal order that bans the identification of the officer.

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