Machete youths locked up for boy’s bus murder

TWO machete-wielding youths who smiled as they fatally stabbed a 14-year-old schoolboy on a bus have been locked up for life.

- EMILY PENNINK and ROSIE SHEAD

Aspiring rapper Kelyan Bokassa called “I want my mum” after he was mortally wounded in front of horrified passengers aboard the route 472 bus in Woolwich, southeast London, on January 7.

His killers, aged 16, pleaded guilty to Kelyan’s murder and having a knife.

In a televised sentencing yesterday, Judge Mark Lucraft KC detained them at His Majesty’s pleasure for life.

He told the pair they would be locked up for at least 15 years and 10 months before being eligible for parole.

Judge Lucraft said Kenyan’s death was a “senseless loss” of yet another young life to the “horrors of knife crime”

One of the youths in the dock of the Old Bailey smiled as he was sent down.

Earlier, prosecutor Deanna Heer KC said Kelyan had boarded the 472 bus just after 2pm to attend an appointment at the Youth Justice Centre in Woolwich.

CCTV footage showed Kelyan went to sit on the back seat on the top deck, with a knife in the waistband of his trousers.

Ms 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, who cannot be named, boarded the bus 20 minutes later, each armed with identical machetes hidden in their clothes.

‘The pair walked towards Kelyan “with purpose” and withdrew their blades before immediately stabbing him without uttering a word to their victim.