Officer charged with murder over death of unarmed Black man appears in court

A  Metropolitan Police  officer who has been accused of murder over the death of Chris Kaba has appeared in court over the charge. The officer, identified only as NX121, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, where lawyers acting for several news outlets challenged an application for the officer to remain anonymous. The case was adjourned to the Central Criminal Court, the Old Bailey, for a further hearing at 2pm on Thursday, where the anonymity application will be decided. The officer did not speak during the hearing. His barrister, Patrick Hill, was asked to confirm the defendant’s identity in court. Mr Kaba’s parents and other relatives were in the public gallery of the court for the hearing. Mr Kaba died after a bullet went through the windscreen of the car he was driving and hit him in the head. In the moments before the shooting last September 6, Mr Kaba, 24, had turned into Kirkstall Gardens in Streatham Hill, south  London , and collided with a marked police car.