LONDON—A judge has ruled an anonymity order protecting the identity of a police firearms officer who has been charged with the murder of Chris Kaba can be lifted, but not until Jan. 30, 2024.
The Recorder of London, Judge Mark Lucraft, KC, announced his decision on Monday after hearing legal submissions from Jude Bunting, KC, representing a number of media outlets.
The Metropolitan Police officer, who has so far only been identified as NX121, is on conditional bail ahead of his trial, which has been provisionally set for September 2024.
NX121 was charged last month but has yet to formally enter a plea to the charge, although he is understood to deny the allegation.
Several of Mr. Kaba’s relations were at the Old Bailey on Monday when Judge Lucraft announced his decision but NX121 was not present.
Photograph of Accused Still Remains Banned
In an order handed out to journalists Judge Lucraft said: “The address of the defendant and photograph, image, drawing or any other description of the defendant cannot be published until further order.”
At an Old Bailey hearing last month it was acknowledged NX121 was the police officer who had fired the fatal shot into Mr. Kaba as his Audi car came to a stop in Streatham Hill, southeast London, on Sept. 5, 2022.
The prosecutor Tom Little, KC, said the investigation was “well advanced” and the decision to charge NX121 had come more than a year after the shooting incident.
At that hearing NX121, who was represented by barrister Patrick Hill, was asked to confirm his identity in court and was then asked his date of birth.
Mr. Hill intervened on his client’s behalf and Judge Lucraft agreed he could write his date of birth on a piece of paper and hand it to the court clerk.
Last month Judge Lucraft granted NX121 bail on the condition that he resided at a particular address, surrendered his passport, and did not apply for any new travel documents.
There will be a further hearing in December.
Mr. Kaba, who was also known as Itch or Mad Itch, had been a rapper with a drill group called 67, which has been involved in a long-running feud in south London.
The Chris Kaba shooting was the most controversial firearms incident in London since August 2011 when Mark Duggan, a member of the Tottenham Man Dem, was shot dead, triggering riots across the capital.
In the case of Mr. Duggan, the police officer who shot him, identified only as V53, was never charged and an inquest jury returned a verdict of lawful killing.
In response to the Chris Kaba announcement, Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist said: “I recognise that for officers this decision will be hugely concerning, and that the impact of this and recent cases is felt right across armed policing and beyond.
“The Met has supported the anonymity hearing by providing evidence and factual information to His Honour Judge Lucraft, KC, to assist him in making a decision. We take seriously the open justice principle, however, it was important to make the court aware of the effect that loss of anonymity would have in this case. We acknowledge the judgement by the court and note the detailed and careful consideration that has taken place.”
