Chris Kaba handed nearly £19k in taxpayer-funded legal aid to defend his crimes before he was killed by officer

GANGSTER Chris Kaba was handed £18,944 in taxpayer-funded legal aid to defend his crimes in the decade before he was killed by a police firearms officer.

His lawyers were paid £14,877 and £4,067 went to barristers, an information request reveals.

Norman Brennan, of The Law and Order Foundation, said: “The worst of offenders are entitled to defend themselves, but I understand why this leaves a bad taste in peoples’ mouths.”

The Ministry of Justice said: “Legal aid is not paid directly to the individual in receipt of legal aid.

"Legal aid is paid to legal representatives to ensure access to justice and in criminal cases to ensure a fair trial.

“Where proceedings are ongoing, or have only recently concluded, further claims may continue to be made until the billing process has been completed by all of the lawyers involved.”

Kaba, 24, was a core member of Brixton’s “67” gang and had convictions dating to age 13 for affray, knife and weapons possession.

In 2022 he gunned down a rival in a London club.

He was suspected of a gun attack near a school a few days later.

The next day Kaba was shot dead when he tried to ram cops with a car.

Sgt Martin Blake was cleared of his murder.