Two teenage boys whosmiled as they murdered a 14-year-old schoolboy on a south-east London bus have been jailed for life.
The youths, aged 16, were sentenced on Friday after they pleaded guilty to murdering Kelyan Bokassa.
Bokassa was repeatedly stabbed as he travelled on a route 472 bus in Woolwich, south-east London, on January 7.
Judge Mark Lucraft KC detained the pair, who cannot be named due to their age, telling them they would be locked up for a least 15 years and 10 months before being eligible for parole.
One of the youths in the dock of the Old Bailey smiled as he was sent down.
Met Police |
Two teenage boys have been sentenced for the murder of 14-year-old Kelyan Bokassa.
Prosecutor Deanna Heer KC said Bokassa had boarded the 472 bus just after 2pm to attend an appointment at the Youth Justice Centre in Woolwich.
CCTV footage showed Bokassa went to sit on the back seat on the top deck, with a knife in the waistband of his trousers. Heer said the teenager looked around and out of the windows before taking his seat "giving every impression that he was concerned for his safety".
The defendants boarded the bus 20 minutes later each armed with identical machetes hidden in their clothes. They walked towards Kelyan "with purpose" and withdrew their blades before immediately stabbing him without uttering a word to their victim.
Heer said: "Since Kelyan Bokassa was seated on the back seat, he was cornered, unable to escape as the defendants repeatedly thrust their knives towards him, smiling as they did so."
Bokassa called "I want my mum" as he was stabbed 27 times with the attack lasting around 14 seconds.
GETTY | The Old Bailey
Heer went on: “Kelyan Bokassa had no time to reach for his own knife, which remained in his trousers, and instead tried in vain to protect himself with his school bag.
"There were several other passengers on the top deck who fled in panic when they realised what was happening. They describe hearing intense screaming from the back of the bus and the victim shouting, 'Help. Help. I’ve been stabbed.
"They describe both defendants making quick, forceful movements towards Kelyan Bokassa as he tried to defend himself."
The bus driver activated his emergency alarm just before 2.27pm and the defendants fled when the vehicle stopped at Woolwich Ferry.
Bokassa stumbled down the aisle to the stairs, where another passenger went to help him.
He was heard to say: "Take me to my mum’s. I want my mum,” before his legs buckled, bleeding heavily from a wound to the leg.
Bokassa's mum Marie told the court her son had loved food, cooking and football, and brought her flowers on her birthday.
Speaking through tears and wearing black, she said: “He would put music on and we’d dance together in the living room.
"He loved Mr Bean, which we watched together, and he would laugh. I miss his laugh, miss his voice.
"I will never see his children or be a grandmother and he will never have his own family>"