A Metropolitan Police marksman who shot and killed Chris Kaba has been accused of fabricating a narrative to justify his actions, a court heard on Thursday.
Martyn Blake, the officer on trial for murder, is alleged to have fatally shot Kaba, 24, through the windscreen of an Audi in Streatham, south-east London, on September 5, 2022. Kaba’s vehicle had been followed and surrounded by six police cars before the incident.
Accusations of Inconsistencies
Prosecutor Tom Little KC, in his closing remarks at the Old Bailey, questioned Blake’s credibility. He argued that Blake’s accounts of the events had been inconsistent and exaggerated the danger he faced.
In a written statement hours after the shooting, Blake claimed he believed his colleague driving a police SUV, known as the “Foxtrot” vehicle, had been killed after Kaba’s Audi collided with it. Little, however, dismissed this claim, stating, “It’s difficult to see how anyone present at the scene could claim that the driver of the Foxtrot vehicle could have been killed. No one else suggested that.”
Questions About Justification for the Shooting
At the center of the prosecution’s case is whether Blake’s decision to fire was legally justifiable. Little argued that the shot was not aimed at the vehicle’s central body mass, as would be expected, but directly at Kaba’s head. He added that no other officer at the scene reported feeling in danger at the time.
Little challenged the defence’s assertion that Blake acted in self-defence, pointing out that there was no evidence of the Audi being driven towards Blake or of the engine revving before he fired. “No other officer gave any evidence that, at the point the shot was taken, there was any revving,” Little said, suggesting Blake’s account was not credible.
Allegations of False Statements
The court saw a reconstruction of the scene, showing the position of officers and the Audi at the time of the incident. The Audi was traveling at 12 mph when it collided with the police SUV, but Little argued that the vehicle was wedged and could not have posed a significant risk. “The decision to fire, with the intention to kill, was taken precipitously,” he stated.
Little further argued that Blake’s initial statements were “deliberately false” to create a perception of danger that did not exist. “They are false statements that cannot be swept under the catch-all carpet of perceptual distortion,” he told the court, suggesting that Blake’s statements were exaggerated to justify the shooting.
Blake Denies Charges
Blake, known in court by the cypher NX121, denies the charge of murder. His defence team maintains that he believed his life, and those of his colleagues, were at risk when he discharged his weapon.
The Family’s Response
Chris Kaba’s father, Prosper Kaba, attended the hearing at the Old Bailey. The family, supported by legal counsel, has expressed their desire for justice for Kaba, who was killed just months before his 25th birthday.
The trial continues as the jury deliberates whether Blake’s actions were legally justified or a reckless decision resulting in Kaba’s death.
