An armed police officer accused of shooting dead a 24-year-old black man in south London has pleaded not guilty to murder.
The officer appeared at the Old Bailey on Friday morning, where an anonymity order was lifted and he was named for the first time as Martyn Blake.
Flanked by a single dock officer, he confirmed his name and his date of birth as Nov 3 1983.
He was arraigned on a single charge of murder. Asked how he pleaded to the charge, he replied in a clear voice: “Not guilty.”
Kaba was shot dead on Sept 5 2022 as he drove an Audi Q8 through the Streatham Hill area.
Mr Blake who fired the fatal shot was charged with murder following a lengthy investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct.
A temporary anonymity order was granted when the officer first appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court last year.
But that was varied by the Recorder of London Mark Lucraft KC, so that the defendant’s name and date of birth can now be published.
The judge ordered that the address of the defendant must not be made public and no photograph, drawing or other description should be published until further notice.
In a clear direction to those in court, the judge said: “Should anyone be foolish enough to try and take any image during the course of these proceedings they would face their own problems.”
The officer was granted conditional bail ahead of a three-week trial that is due to begin on Oct 2.
The officer is currently suspended from duty.
Kaba, a rapper, died when he was struck by a single bullet fired by a police marksman through the windscreen of a car in Streatham, south west London.
Members of his family were present in court 5 at the Old Bailey for the brief plea hearing.
