Famous British rap star evokes fury as he claims Chris Kaba was 'assassinated' and slams Met Police for 'villainising' gangster so they can 'execute a person without any repercussions'

Wretch 32 caused fury today after claiming Chris Kaba was 'assassinated' and 'executed' by an officer, adding that the police are 'good at villainising a person'.

The rapper, real name Jermaine Scott, also said he would 'obviously like to pay my respects and hope that we get some justice for Chris Kaba and his family'.

Wretch 32 spoke out after Sergeant Martyn Blake was found not guilty of murder at the Old Bailey on Monday, having shot Mr Kaba through the windscreen of an Audi Q8 as he tried to ram his way past police cars in Streatham, South London.

Following the verdict, it was revealed on Tuesday that 24-year-old Mr Kaba was a 'core member' of one of London's most dangerous criminal gangs and was allegedly directly linked to two shootings in the six days before he was shot dead by police.

Sergeant Blake is living in hiding, fearing for his life and his family after a £10,000 bounty was offered in revenge for Mr Kaba's death to anyone prepared to kill him.

Wretch 32 told Sky News that he did not think 'justice has been done' and that 'if the police are policing the police, we're never going to get the results we want'.

But Conservative leadership candidate Robert Jenrick said today that the 39-year-old rapper had presented a 'conspiracy theory' and should 'shut up', adding that London is a 'safer place without' Mr Kaba following his death on September 5, 2022.

Speaking to Kay Burley about the case, Wretch 32 said yesterday: 'I think we're defo at a place where there's a lack of trust in the institution.

'Obviously at this moment in time I'd obviously like to pay my respects and hope that we get some justice for Chris Kaba and his family as well.'

Ms Burley then asked him: 'Do you not think justice has been done there?'

And he replied: 'I don't think justice has been done. The police, they're good at villainising a person and turning people against a person and then using that to feel like they can go into any scenario and execute a person without any repercussions.

'They talk about split second moments in scenarios, stop and searches, or 'hard stops' as they call them. But these things are planned, they are detailed operations - and you're trained and you go through - which I would hope in due process to get to that point where you're able to be on the field.

'And for you to be a trained professional, it doesn't allow you to assassinate someone, to execute someone. I don't understand how we get to that point.

'And only until there's some form of independent judicial system, are we going to be able to see justice. Because if the police are policing the police, we're never going to get the results we want.'

Mr Jenrick was then asked about Wretch 32's comments on Burley's show this morning, and she read them out to him live on air.

But the politician replied: 'I can't believe on national TV you're giving airtime to a conspiracy theory like that. Chris Kaba was on a one-man crime spree. He was stabbing. He was shooting. He was committing criminality on our streets.

'London is a safer place without this man and Sergeant Blake is a hero. He is someone, like all our firearms officers, who put themselves literally in the line of fire, have to make split second decisions - an immensely challenging job.

'His name has been dragged through the mud. His family is now, I believe, in hiding as a result of a bounty being put on his head. We should be doing everything we can to support him, to enable him to get back to active service, if that's what he wants.

'We should not be making his life any harder by spreading misinformation like that.'

He added that the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) should 'drop this suggestion that he will be investigated for gross misconduct'.

Mr Jenrick continued: 'He is a good man, doing his job, he's been cleared by a jury, and he should be able to get on with his life.'

Ms Burley then said: 'Something is broken when a part of our community feels that that was an assassination and...'

Mr Jenrick interjected: 'But it wasn't an assassination.'

Burley then continued: 'But that's my point - something is broken if somebody feels that way.'

But Mr Jenrick said: 'I disagree - that is a reflection on that man, not on the police.'

Burley added: 'He was representing the black... part of the black community. He was here to talk about..'

Then Jenrick said: 'I don't know if he's representing anyone other than himself. I don't want there to be different communities in our country. I want the law to be enforced without fear or favour.

'Sergeant Blake was doing his job. He shouldn't have been tried. The case was determined in less than three hours by the jury. They found him not guilty. We should accept that judgement and move on.

'Sergeant Blake now should have his full name restored, he should be able to return to work if he wants to, and individuals like that, frankly, should shut up.'

Wretch 32 was also on Sky News to talk about his new track for the latest 'No Room For Racism' initiative which has seen him partner with the Premier League.

It comes as a Labour MP also provoked fury by accusing the media of poorly portraying Mr Kaba after his real identity as a notorious gangster was finally revealed.

Kim Johnson told the House of Commons that the 'media are using racist gang tropes to justify the killing of Chris Kaba ' - while other members of the party were urged to apologise after issuing statements supporting the criminal gang member.

The Liverpool Riverside MP also sent 'condolences' to the 24-year-old's family and friends.

She said yesterday: 'I would like to send my condolences to the family, friends and loved ones of Chris Kaba. Particularly this week while the media are using racist gang tropes to justify the killing of Chris Kaba.

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‘1,900 people have died in police custody since 1990. And I would say that the police do have protections - you know, we know that our black communities are over policed and under-supported.'

As murmuring could be heard, she asked Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to 'give us assurances that we and our communities are kept safe and that extra protections are not given to the police because they already have protections they need'.

But Kieran Mullan, Conservative MP for Bexhill and Battle in Sussex, later tweeted: 'As I said in the chamber, it wasn't a trope. He was a gang member. Equally disgraceful for the local MP to describe him as a 'well loved' member of the community.'

LBC presenter Nick Ferrari issued a furious response on his show, saying: 'This was a man who chose to... in fact has been in crime since he was 13.. and who chose to... we all saw, or if you wanted to watch the TV you could see the video footage, of him shooting presumably a rival in a nightclub. What the hell has the media got to do...

Banging the desk, the host added: 'Why do we continue to hide behind this? Why don't we just say... while he did not deserve to die in that fashion, he was no angel.'