Two youths jailed for bus machete murder of 14-year-old

Two teenagers who viciously attacked a 14-year-old boy with machetes on a bus in south-east London have been jailed for his murder.

Kelyan Bokassa from Greenwich was stabbed multiple times as he travelled on a bus headed to Woolwich on 7 January.

The two youths, aged 15 and 16 at the time of the attack, pleaded guilty to his murder and carrying a bladed weapon. At the hearing at the Old Bailey, they were sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 15 years.

The incident took place on the top deck of the bus in front of horrified onlookers at 2.30pm in the afternoon. Kelyan was already on the bus when the two youths boarded, although no words were exchanged, both immediately pulled out concealed machetes and began their attack which the 14-year-old sought to deflect using his rucksack.

Despite the efforts of passengers and paramedics, Kelyan was pronounced dead at the scene on Woolwich Church Street.

The two youths fled from the bus along the Thames Path, where police later recovered one of the machetes used in the attack from the river. They were arrested in Eltham, south-east London on January 15.

Samantha Yelland, Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS London North said: “This was a savage and sustained attack on a 14-year-old boy which was carried out in broad daylight on a busy bus.

“Kelyan was headed to an appointment that day and passengers on the bus witnessed his violent murder in truly harrowing circumstances. Despite the attack lasting only 15 seconds – he had little chance of survival.

“We worked closely with police and were thankfully helped by clear CCTV evidence which both placed the defendants on the bus and showed one of them discarding the machete. They had little choice but to plead guilty.

“I hope their sentences provide some degree of comfort to Kelyan’s friends and family.”