The police watchdog has said it will “pause” misconduct proceedings against a police marksman who shot Chris Kaba until a legal change comes into force this spring.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct said it is waiting until a legal test used over use of force in police misconduct cases is changed.
The firearms officer was cleared of murder after an Old Bailey trial in October 2024, after which the Government pledged to review the legal thresholds used to bring criminal charges or misconduct proceedings.
The IOPC is expecting the change to come into force this spring, and is waiting to understand the implications before serving gross misconduct papers on the officer.
An IOPC spokesman said: “We have decided it is not appropriate to make a decision on whether, in all the circumstances, it’s fair and reasonable that [the officer] should continue to face disciplinary proceedings, until we understand the impact of amendments to the use of force standard and any Home Office guidance.”
Director Amanda Rowe said: “We recognise the impact of this case on everyone affected and it isn’t our intention to delay matters any more than necessary.
“However it’s important that our decision takes account of impending changes to the use of force standard.”
A spokesman from Chris Kaba’s family criticised the move, saying they were “devastated” at the news, adding the officer was “quite correctly facing imminent disciplinary proceedings for that use of force.”
Chris Kaba was a ‘core member’ of one of London’s most dangerous gangs
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PAA spokesman for the Kaba family said: “We cannot understand why we, as Chris’s family, only learned for the first time today that the Met invited the IOPC to drop proceedings back in November.
“We are devastated that the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has decided under this kind of police pressure to put on hold the preparations for [the] gross misconduct proceedings.
“The IOPC could and should have consulted us last year, in advance of this decision. We would have said then, and we say now, that preparations for these proceedings should continue without more disruption and delay.
“To not involve us until after a decision to pause has been made is deeply disappointing and has damaged our confidence in the independence of the IOPC. The lack of consideration shown to us in this process adds to our trauma and our sense of injustice.”
Chris Kaba was shot by an officer from the Met Police
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GETTYThe 24-year-old was shot dead by a police marksman in September 2022 after an enforced stop, as the Audi Kaba was driving had been flagged by police intelligence as being linked to a firearms incident the night before.
Kaba was on indictment for a trial that led to three men being found guilty of a range of offences for shooting a rival gang member in the legs in August 2022, just days before Kaba was shot dead.
Shemiah Bell, 32, Marcus Pottinger, 31, and Connel Bamgboye, 29, were found guilty of possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.
Bell and Pottinger were found guilty of wounding with intent at the Old Bailey in February 2024
Protests took place outside the Old Bailey following the verdict of Chris Kaba’s trial | PA
Kaba was an open member of the “67” gang, a drill rap group linked to several murders and violent incidents.
The gang has been linked to an “outbreak of violence” in London, with bitter feuds involving other Lambeth-based gangs.
The Brixton Hill-based group was embroiled in a notorious feud with the “Claptown gang”, based near Clapham High Street, for several years.
Both slides made music videos about each other’s gangs.