Anger as armed officer cleared of murdering gangster Chris Kaba faces misconduct hearing

A POLICE officer who was cleared of murdering a gangster in London last year now faces a gross misconduct disciplinary hearing over the shooting — and could be sacked.

- Paul Jeeves

Sgt Martyn Blake, 41, has been ordered to appear before a misconduct panel following a review by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), it said yesterday.

The highly trained firearms specialist shot Chris Kaba in Streatham in September 2022 after Kaba drove at officers in an attempt to smash his way out of a police roadblock.

Sgt Blake, who was protecting his colleagues, was charged with murder after an IOPC investigation and went on trial at the Old Bailey last October. Jurors took just three hours to find him not guilty and Scotland Yard immediately reinstated him.

Afterwards Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said he feared that charging the police in such situations was “crushing the spirit of good officers” and making London less safe. He said Sgt Blake had made huge personal and professional sacrifices but acted with professionalism and dignity throughout.

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