Kelyan Bokassa: Teens detained for murder of boy on Woolwich bus

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Frankie McCamley of BBC News reported from the Old Bailey in a tragic case where two teenagers received life sentences for the murder of 14-year-old Kelyan Bokassa. The aspiring rapper was fatally stabbed on a route 472 bus in Woolwich, south-east London, on 7 January. The Old Bailey heard that Kelyan was sitting on the back seat of the bus when the attackers, armed with identical “lengthy machetes,” boarded the bus and smilingly assaulted him.

The defendants, now 16, had previously admitted to murdering Kelyan and possessing a knife. They were both sentenced to a minimum term of 15 years and 10 months. During the sentencing, Judge Mark Lucraft KC acknowledged the tragedy of losing a young life, stating that no court sentence could truly reflect the impact of such a loss. Kelyan’s mother, Marie Bokassa, expressed her sorrow in a victim impact statement, reflecting on the painful loss of her child and the unimaginable anger that led to the horrific act of violence.

The court heard that the defendants seemed to have prior knowledge that Kelyan was on the bus before boarding. CCTV footage of the attack showed the defendants carrying out the assault on Kelyan, who attempted to defend himself with a school bag while other passengers fled in panic. After the attack, the bus driver activated the emergency alarm, prompting the defendants to flee. Despite efforts to save him, Kelyan tragically passed away at the scene.

It was revealed that Kelyan had been in care and had spent time at a children’s home in Deal, Kent. The Crown Prosecution Service expressed hope that the sentences handed down to the teenagers would offer some solace to Kelyan’s loved ones, as the violent attack left him with little chance of survival. The defendants were arrested following a manhunt by Met Police officers and charged the next day after discarding one of the machetes in the River Thames

Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More

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