Chris Kaba was ‘core member’ of gang and ‘gunman in nightclub shooting’ days before he was killed by police
Chris Kaba was a core member of a notorious south London gang and accused of being the gunman in an alleged bid to murder a rival in a nightclub shooting days before he was killed.
The 24-year-old’s gang links, previous convictions and violent past can be reported for the first time after Metropolitan Police marksman Martyn Blake was cleared of murder and the judge Mr Justice Goss lifted reporting restrictions.
Brandon Malutshi was shot twice in the leg with a revolver as Kaba, 24, opened fire on the dancefloor of The Oval Space, in Hackney, east London, and on the road outside as the victim tried to escape in the early hours of 30 August 2022.
Kaba, known by his street name “Itch”, had arrived at the scene in the same Audi Q8 he was driving on the night of 5 September 2022, when he was shot in the head by Mr Blake, 40, as he tried to escape from police in Streatham, south London.
CCTV shows Kaba entering the nightclub – shown under a blue arrow.
Kaba seen with Shemiah Bell (yellow arrow) and Connell Bamgboye (green arrow)
The same vehicle was linked to a shooting in Bromley, southeast London, on 22 May 2022, in which two people were targeted with a shotgun, the Old Bailey heard in legal argument not in front of the jury in Mr Blake’s murder trial.
The Audi was also used as one of two getaway vehicles the night before Kaba was killed after three masked men fired a shotgun twice at unknown targets outside a Brixton school, jurors were told.
But they didn’t know Kaba was found with a balaclava in his pocket and gunshot residue on his sleeve when he was shot, although prosecutors suggested it may have come from one of the firearms officers.
The dark Audi Q8 driven by Kaba. Pic: IOPC
No weapons were found in the Audi, which was not registered to Kaba, although he was one of the known drivers.
A handgun was discovered on 14 September 2022 by cleaners behind the bins of a property along the route he took before he was killed, but the weapon is not thought to be linked to the incident.
Kaba was due to face a civil court hearing 10 days after his death, where police would make an application for a gang injunction, used to place restrictions on people involved in gang violence.
He had previously been the subject of an interim version of the order, but it had elapsed while he was in prison for other convictions.
The 67 gang
Mr Blake’s barrister Patrick Gibbs KC had argued “bad character” evidence relating to Kaba should be put before the jury in the murder case.
But the application was refused by the judge because it wasn’t deemed relevant to the issues in the case as the officer didn’t know Kaba was driving the car, only that it had been linked to a shooting the night before.
The judge rejected an application made on behalf of Kaba’s mother to extend reporting restrictions beyond the end of the trial.
Mr Gibbs described Kaba as the “principal gunman” of the Brixton Hill-based 67 gang, which has more than 50 known members.
A police report submitted to the court as part of an unsuccessful bid to keep the anonymity of the officer, previously known as NX121, described the group as an “identifiable street gang”.
The gang is in an “active and violent dispute with a rival faction of street gangs”, including “numerous firearms discharges, stabbings and murders” which has played out in gang-related music since 2014, it said.
Kaba had appeared in drill rap videos with other 67 members online.
Kaba was described as a ‘core member’ of a London gang
Its members are “embedded in a culture of drug supply, serious violence, firearms and knife possession” and are part of the “highest harm street gang in Lambeth”, according to the report.
Mr Gibbs said there was specific intelligence to indicate there was a risk to Blake’s life because the gang might seek to identify and murder him as revenge for the fatal shooting of Kaba.
Previous convictions
Kaba has convictions dating back to when he was aged 13 for offences including stabbing with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, a knife-enabled gang assault when the victim was stabbed and had his arm broken, and two other knife offences.
In 2015, when he was 17, Kaba was convicted of affray and possession of an offensive weapon – a belt – over an incident in which a revolver-style handgun was recovered nearby, but the weapon wasn’t linked to him and he was never charged in connection with it.
He was jailed for four years after being convicted of possessing an imitation firearm in 2017 and in August 2020 was handed a five-month prison sentence for failing to stop and possession of a knife, which was discarded from a vehicle.
Attempted murder trial
Had he not been killed, Kaba would’ve stood trial for the attempted murder of Malutshi, who was affiliated with the Wandsworth Road-based 1-7 gang, along with six other men.
His name was on the indictment at the Old Bailey trial earlier this year, where it was an agreed fact that Kaba was a “core member” of the 67 gang, but his role in the attack after Notting Hill Carnival couldn’t be reported until the end of Mr Blake’s trial.
A witness said Kaba, who was wearing a balaclava, was “moving mad” as he identified his “ops” before pulling a gun out of a bag smuggled into the club by Marcus Pottinger.
Marcus Pottinger (left) and Connel Bamgboye. Pic:PA
Shemiah Bell. Pic: PA
Malutshi was shot on the busy dance floor, then again as Kaba chased him as he fled into a side street, suffering wounds to his left and right thighs.
Kaba left the scene in the back of a Range Rover, while Shemiah Bell, known as “Bones” because of his dog bone necklace, drove the Audi away for Kaba to collect later.
Bell was jailed for 10 years and Pottinger for nine years after they were found guilty of wounding with intent to cause GBH and possession of a firearm to cause fear of violence.
Sentencing the men, Judge Simon Mayo KC said: “Having spotted Malutshi in the nightclub, I am sure that Kaba decided he would confront him and shoot him.”
Connell Bamgboye, nicknamed “C-Rose” or “Conz”, whose passport was found in the Audi on the night Kaba was shot, was sentenced to five and half years in prison after he was convicted of the firearms offence.
Bamgboye, who was also stopped in the Audi by armed police in the first half of 2022, was convicted with Kaba in 2015 over a nine-man fight, and they were both later involved in a gang altercation at an unlicensed music event in Romford, the court heard.
Kaba was stabbed in the stomach, while Bamgboye and another person were injured in a shooting when a row erupted.
‘He should never have stood trial’
Before the jury delivered its unanimous not guilty verdict after around four hours of deliberation on Monday, they passed a note to the judge asking for permission also to pass comment, which was denied.
But Mr Justice Goss refused an application from the media, supported by a lawyer for Kaba’s family, to make the note public.
Matt Cane, the general secretary of the Metropolitan Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers, said Mr Blake “should never have stood trial” and his fellow officers “remain astonished that a brave colleague could be charged with murder”.
“The ramifications of this case remain widespread; police officers should not have their livelihoods, and their liberty, put at risk for performing what unequivocally, in this case, was his lawful and appropriate function,” he said.
“It remains a matter of grave concern, that investigations into the most serious complex and dynamic operational scenarios, such as this, are carried out by those who seemingly have little, or no, experience of policing, no understanding of this type of fast-moving and dangerous operational trained tactic, involving split-second decision making in the most difficult and challenging circumstances.
“The flaws which arise in such investigations, are then compounded by poor decision making by the Crown Prosecution Service, and others.”
Downing Street has indicated Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would be arrested if he arrived on British soil following an international arrest warrant being issued for him.
On Thursday, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Israeli defence secretary Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the war in Gaza.
The UK government was reluctant to commit to saying Netanyahu would be arrested if he came to the UK but Sir Keir Starmer’s spokesman said the government would “fulfil its legal obligations” in relation to the arrest warrant.
“The UK will always comply with its legal obligations as set out by domestic law, and indeed international law,” he said.
He added the domestic process linked to ICC arrest warrants has never been used to date by the UK because the country has never been visited by anyone wanted by the international court.
Earlier on Friday, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said it “wouldn’t be appropriate for me to comment” on the processes involved as the ICC is independent, although the UK is a member.
She told Sky News: “We’ve always respected the importance of international law, but in the majority of the cases that they pursue, they don’t become part of the British legal process.
“What I can say is that obviously, the UK government’s position remains that we believe the focus should be on getting a ceasefire in Gaza.”
However, Emily Thornberry, Labour chair of the foreign affairs committee in parliament, told Sky News: “If Netanyahu comes to Britain, our obligation under the Rome Convention would be to arrest him under the warrant from the ICC.
“Not really a question of should, we are required to because we are members of the ICC.”
After winning July’s election the government said it would not oppose the ICC’s right to issue the warrants.
Netanyahu and Gallant (right) have arrest warrants against them. File pic: Reuters
Ireland, France and Italy have signalled they would arrest Netanyahu if he came to their countries.
Asked if police would arrest the Israeli leader in Ireland, Irish Taoiseach Simon Harris said: “Yes, absolutely. We support international courts and we apply their warrants.”
Germany said it would make a decision if Netanyahu came to Germany but said it is one of the “biggest supporters of the ICC”, partly as a result of history.
A German government spokesman said: “At the same time, it is a consequence of German history that we share unique relations and a great responsibility with Israel.”
An ICC arrest warrant was also issued for Hamas leader Mohammed Diab Ibrahim al Masri, the mastermind behind the 7 October attacks in Israel, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Israel claims Al Masri was killed earlier this year but the ICC said that has not been confirmed, so it was issuing the arrest warrant.
Netanyahu’s office said the warrants against him and Gallant were “antisemitic” and said Israel “rejects with disgust the absurd and false actions”.
Neither Israel nor the US are members of the ICC. Israel has rejected the court’s jurisdiction and denies committing war crimes in Gaza.
Read more:
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Why have arrest warrants been issued?
US President Joe Biden described the warrants against Israeli leaders as “outrageous”, adding: “Whatever the ICC might imply, there is no equivalence – none – between Israel and Hamas.”
Former Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett said the warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant were a “mark of shame” for the ICC.
The Board of Deputies of British Jews said the ICC’s decision sent a “terrible message”.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Friday he would invite Netanyahu to visit Hungary and he would guarantee the arrest warrant would “not be observed”.
The ICC originally said it was seeking arrest warrants for the three men in May for the alleged crimes and on Thursday announced that it had rejected challenges by Israel and issued warrants of arrest.
In its update, the ICC said it found “reasonable grounds to believe” that Netanyahu and Gallant “bear criminal responsibility” for alleged crimes.
These, the court said, include “the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare; and the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts”.
It is the first time a sitting leader of a major Western ally has been accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity by a global court of justice.
Hundreds of people affected by the Manchester Arena bombing cannot continue legal action against MI5, judges have ruled.
More than 300 people, including survivors and those bereaved by the 2017 attack at an Ariana Grande concert, brought a case to the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT), claiming failures to take “appropriate measures” to prevent the incident infringed their human rights.
In a ruling on Friday, Lord Justice Singh and Mrs Justice Farbey said the cases could not proceed as they were brought too late.
Lord Justice Singh said: “We are particularly conscious of the importance of the rights concerned… We are also conscious of the horrendous impact of the atrocity on the claimants and their families.
“Any reasonable person would have sympathy for them.
“The grief and trauma which they have suffered, particularly where young children were killed, is almost unimaginable.
“Nevertheless, we have reached the conclusion that, in all the circumstances, it would not be equitable to permit the claims to proceed.”
File pic: AP
Lord Justice Singh acknowledged that while the tribunal “readily understand” why the legal claims were not filed until after the final report from the inquiry into the attack, “real expedition” was needed at that point.
The judge added: “We bear in mind the other matters that had to be investigated and arrangements which had to be put in place but, in our view, the filing of the proceedings was not given the priority which, assessed objectively, it should have been.”
Had the claims gone ahead, the judge noted the security services would have needed to “divert time and resources to defending these proceedings rather than their core responsibilities” – which includes preventing future attacks.
Salman Abedi killed 22 people and injured hundreds when he detonated a rucksack bomb at the end of an Ariana Grande show at Manchester Arena on 22 May 2017.
Manchester Arena bomber Salman Abedi
Hudgell Solicitors, Slater & Gordon and Broudie Jackson Canter, three of the law firms representing complainants affected, said the ruling was “extremely disappointing” for their clients.
In a statement, the firms said: “Ever since the attack in May 2017, our clients have had to endure continued delays but have done so with great patience and understanding in the hope that by allowing all legal processes to be fully explored, transparency and justice would be achieved.
“It took almost six years for the failings of MI5 to be revealed, confirmed when the inquiry chair published his volume three findings in March 2023, in which he said MI5 had missed a ‘significant opportunity’ to prevent the attack.
“This report concluded that within this six-year period, the security service corporate witnesses X and J gave evidence on oath that had presented an inaccurate picture, and the same inaccurate picture had been presented to Lord Anderson when he compiled his report in December 2017.”
Read more from Sky News:
‘Blood on their hands’: Could MI5 have prevented the Manchester attack?
Manchester attack survivors awarded £45k after suing man who claims it was a hoax
Police officers who went for kebab on night of terror attack given final warnings
The law firms said following these findings, their clients believed the IPT would “provide the route to the formal vindication of their human rights”.
The firms added: “We are disappointed that time is one of the reasons now being used against them to prevent their claims progressing. Seven years have now passed since the atrocity in May 2017 – six years of that seven-year delay was caused by MI5.
“This judgment certainly doesn’t exonerate MI5. There were failings by MI5 and multiple other parties leading up to and on the actual evening of 22 May 2017 and collectively we continue to support our clients in their fight for full accountability and justice.”
Police with members of the public after the attack. Pic: PA
The inquiry into the bombing found it might have been prevented if MI5 had acted on key intelligence received in the months before the attack.
The agency’s director-general, Ken McCallum, expressed deep regret that such intelligence was not obtained.
Two pieces of information about Abedi were assessed at the time by the security service to not relate to terrorism.
But inquiry chairman Sir John Saunders said, having heard from MI5 witnesses at the hearings, he considered that did not present an “accurate picture”.
Lawyers for those affected previously said the inquiry found there was a “real possibility” that one of the pieces of intelligence could have obtained information which may have led to actions preventing the attack.
And at the hearing earlier this month, Pete Weatherby KC, for those affected, described the IPT claims as “the next step” in vindication for his clients after the inquiry’s findings.
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