The investigation into the police taking pictures of an unarmed black man will look at whether or not race was an element however won’t conclude till subsequent yr, a watchdog has mentioned.
The Impartial Workplace for Police Conduct mentioned it was in discussions with prosecutors concerning the investigation and anticipated it will fee skilled evaluation to work out what occurred on the scene in south London earlier than Chris Kaba was shot as soon as within the head.
The household of Kaba, 24, and the Metropolitan police firearms officer beneath investigation for doable murder offences face an extended wait.
As soon as the IOPC concludes its investigation there could also be an extra delay whereas prosecutors resolve whether or not or to not convey expenses. If no expenses comply with, there may be anticipated to be an inquiry, which will even act because the inquest into the demise.
The IOPC will even should resolve whether or not it believes disciplinary expenses needs to be introduced.
The Kaba household’s solicitor, Daniel Machover, condemned the size of time the investigation would take. He mentioned: “Six to 9 months for this investigation is unacceptably lengthy and lacks urgency and signifies inadequate sources to do the job. In the meantime, the IOPC proceed to withhold fundamental info from the household.”
Kaba was shot whereas sitting within the driver’s seat of an Audi in Streatham. The automobile was not registered to him and got here to police consideration when its registration plate triggered an intelligence system linking the car to an earlier alleged firearms incident.
A pursuit adopted and the Audi was struck by a police car earlier than coming to a cease in a residential road. Then a single shot was fired by way of the driver-side window by the officer, killing Kaba.
The officer is but to be interviewed beneath prison warning, and is predicted to say he fired believing there was a menace to his life or these of others.
Kaba’s household have been vital of the IOPC investigation, which began by treating the officer as a witness.
The IOPC mentioned a few of the points its investigation would look at included “how the officers got here to concentrate on the car Mr Kaba was driving; if they’d any prior information of Mr Kaba; and their decision-making and actions. We will even look at whether or not or not Mr Kaba’s race influenced any actions taken by the police.”
The IOPC’s regional director for London, Sal Naseem, mentioned the complexity of the investigation meant it might take as much as 9 months to finish, and he confirmed an earlier Guardian story that the household can be allowed to see police video of the incident.
“Now we have additionally suggested Chris’s household that we intention to finish our investigation inside six to 9 months,” he mentioned. “We perceive that individuals need solutions shortly, however it is a complicated investigation involving a major quantity of proof. There are a variety of enquiries to hold out over the approaching weeks and months, together with skilled evaluation.”
The IOPC mentioned: “The legislation requires us to provide an in depth closing report that precisely summarises all related proof earlier than we will resolve whether or not to refer a file of proof to the Crown Prosecution Service, whose function it will be to find out whether or not or not prison expenses will comply with.”
The Met assistant commissioner Amanda Pearson mentioned the drive had been attempting to allay issues and anger by speaking to group teams and to its personal firearms officers, who’ve been angered by the suspension of their colleague after he was positioned beneath prison investigation.
She mentioned: “We’re additionally speaking to our firearms officers who proceed to fulfil their duties throughout London, seizing suspected weapons, endeavor firearms warrants and responding to spontaneous incidents.”