The Police watchdog has referred a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) following a homicide investigation into the fatal shooting of Chris Kaba in September last year.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) released a statement today confirming their homicide investigation has concluded, and the CPS will now decide whether to charge the Metropolitan Police Officer who has been under criminal investigation.
Chris Kaba was killed in Streatham Hill, South London, on the 5th September 2022 by a single gunshot fired into the vehicle he was driving.
Kaba’s family gave a statement today describing this step as ‘necessary and welcome’. They have urged the CPS to ‘do their bit and provide their advice to the IOPC urgently’.
They continued: ‘We very much hope that the CPS advise in favour of a prosecution and that the truth will emerge, without delay, through criminal proceedings. Our family and community cannot continue waiting for answers.’
The charity, INQUEST, has been supporting Kaba’s family. Their Director, Deborah Coles, said of the decision: ‘The deaths of Black men following the use of lethal force by police are at the sharp end of the racism we see institutionalised in police culture and practice.
Chris Kaba’s death has rightly generated significant public disquiet at a national and international level about how the state and its agents are held to account for killing its citizens.
The rule of law must apply equally to all citizens including those in uniform. The Crown Prosecution Service must ensure effective and prompt decision making.’
The IOPC has faced criticism for the length of time taken to conclude their investigation, with the lawyer representing Kaba’s family saying investigations like these should take ‘weeks not months’.
The Director of the IOPC, Amanda Rowe, said: ‘This was a tragic incident and our investigators have been working hard to ensure that our comprehensive investigation has been completed without undue delay and within the six-to-nine-month timeframe we provided.’
The CPS will now decide whether the firearms officer in question will face prosecution.
