The family of Chris Kaba have said they are “devastated” and feel “the deep pain of injustice” over the acquittal of a police marksman who fatally shot him.
They said the verdict at the Old Bailey was a failure “for all those affected by police violence”, adding that “no family should endure the unimaginable grief we have faced”.
In a statement issued by campaign group Inquest, Mr Kaba’s family said they would “continue fighting for Chris, for justice, and for real change”.
Chris was stolen from us, and this decision shows his life - and many others like him - does not matter to the system
The Justice for Chris Kaba Campaign said the verdict was “a devastating moment for the Kaba family, our community, and the nation”.
It added that the acquittal “reinforces the harsh reality that police can kill without consequence”.
Daniel Machover and Ellie Cornish of law firm Hickman and Rose, who represent Mr Kaba’s family, said the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) “failed to treat the officers involved in a death as suspects from the start”.
They added: “Police officers expect to be treated as witnesses, but for real accountability this needs to change within both the police and the IOPC.”
The family of Mr Kaba, who sat in the well of the court, sat in stony silence and made no immediate reaction as the verdict was given on Monday.
One relative could be seen rocking backwards and forwards as the acquittal was announced, and the group walked away from the courtroom in the Old Bailey in silence, accompanied by their police family liaison officer.
In a statement following the jury’s verdict, Mr Kaba’s family said: “Today, we are devastated. The not guilty verdict leaves us with the deep pain of injustice adding to the unbearable sorrow we have felt since Chris was killed.
“No family should endure the unimaginable grief we have faced. Chris was stolen from us, and this decision shows his life – and many others like him – does not matter to the system. Our son deserved better.
“The acquittal of Martyn Blake isn’t just a failure for our family, but for all those affected by police violence.
“Despite this verdict, we won’t be silenced. We are deeply grateful to everyone who stood by us and fought for justice.
“We will continue fighting for Chris, for justice, and for real change. Chris’s life mattered, and nothing can take that away from us.”
Temi Mwale and Kayza Rose, of the Justice for Chris Kaba Campaign, said: “Martyn Blake’s acquittal is painful proof that our lives are not valued by this system.
“For the Kaba family, justice was never just about a conviction – it’s about systemic change, a fight we will not abandon as a campaign.”
Deborah Coles, director of campaign group Inquest, said that “when the police kill, they seek to operate above the law”.
Ms Coles added: “It is difficult to reconcile the verdict with the evidence heard at the trial and the shocking reality of an unarmed black man being shot in the head.
“We know that Chris’s death is not an isolated case but part of systemic racism and stereotyping that equates black men with dangerousness.
“For decades, black men have disproportionately been killed by the police.
“This verdict must not now be used by the police lobby to further dilute police accountability.”
