Chris Kaba shooting was not justified, murder trial told

The fatal shooting of Chris Kaba by a police officer was not justified by the risk faced by the marksman or his colleagues, a court has heard.

Martyn Blake, 40, denies the murder of Mr Kaba, who was shot in the head through the front windscreen of a car in Streatham, south-east London, in September 2022.

Opening the case for the prosecution, Tom Little KC told the Old Bailey: “It was a decision to shoot which was taken when, we say, the unassailable evidence of what actually took place that night reveals that it was not reasonably justified or justifiable.”

The prosecution alleges that footage that was captured on police body-worn cameras and in patrol cars shows the shooting was unnecessary.

Mr Kaba had been followed by the police after reports of men getting in cars after shots were fired in Brixton the day before, the court heard.

Five police cars, marked and unmarked, were involved in the operation to stop his car when the shooting happened.

The jury was shown a graphic reconstruction of the incident depicting the Audi driven by Mr Kaba being “penned in” by a marked police car in front and three behind.

Mr Kaba drove forward into the side of one of the cars blocking his path and then back into a car behind.

At this moment Mr Black fired the shot that hit Mr Kaba in the head.