Two 16-year-old boys have been sentenced to a minimum of 15 years and 10 months in prison for the murder of 14-year-old Kelyan Bokassa, who was stabbed on a bus in Woolwich, south-east London. The pair, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to murder and possession of a knife. The attack lasted approximately 14 seconds, during which the teenagers thrust machetes at Kelyan 27 times.
The incident occurred on 7 January on the route 472 bus. Kelyan, an aspiring rapper, boarded the bus just after 2pm to attend an appointment at a youth justice centre. CCTV showed he appeared concerned for his safety, looking around before sitting on the back seat with a knife in his waistband. The defendants boarded 20 minutes later, hid machetes in their clothing, and walked towards Kelyan with purpose, drawing their blades and stabbing him without a word.
Prosecutor Deanna Heer KC told the Old Bailey that Kelyan was cornered and unable to escape as the defendants repeatedly stabbed him, smiling as they did so. He had no time to reach for his own knife and tried to protect himself with his schoolbag. Other passengers fled in panic, hearing intense screaming and Kelyan shouting for help. The bus driver activated an emergency alarm, and the defendants fled when the bus stopped at Woolwich Ferry.
Kelyan stumbled down the aisle and was heard saying, “Take me to my mum’s. I want my mum,” before collapsing from a severe leg wound. Members of the public flagged down a police car, but Kelyan died at the scene at 3.23pm. One machete was later recovered from the River Thames.
In a victim impact statement, Kelyan’s mother, Marie Bokassa, said she had spent her son’s 15th birthday at his graveside. She expressed bewilderment at the boys’ anger, stating, “What they did was horrific and I do not know what has led them to do this.” Judge Lucraft KC described the killing as a “senseless loss” of another young life to the “horrors of knife crime”. Samantha Yelland, senior crown prosecutor for CPS London North, noted that the violent attack left Kelyan with little chance of survival.
