Smiling machete youths locked up for life for bus murder of 14-year-old boy

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

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

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

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

He told the pair they would be locked up for a 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.

Ms 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.”

The attack lasted around 14 seconds, with the youths thrusting the machetes towards Kelyan 27 times.

Ms 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.

Kelyan stumbled down the aisle to the stairs, where another passenger went to help him.

The boy 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.

Members of the public flagged down a passing police car and officers found Kelyan had collapsed and his body was limp.

Despite attempts to save him, Kelyan died at the scene at 3.23pm.

One of the machetes was thrown into the River Thames, but was later recovered by police.

The defendants were quickly identified from CCTV on the bus and arrested.

In a victim impact statement, Kelyan’s mother Marie Bokassa said: “At least my son is at peace, and those two kids are going to have a really tough time.

“I ask myself what has happened to those two boys that has resulted in that terrible act of violence, and I cannot imagine how can they be so angry.

“What they did was horrific and I do not know what has led them to do this, and maybe I will never.”

She 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.”

Ms Bokassa added that she had spent her son’s 15th birthday at his graveside.

During the sentencing hearing, members of the public sobbed loudly and hid their faces as footage of the attack on Kelyan was shown in court.

The court heard both defendants have previous convictions for carrying blades in public.

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.”

Published: 25/07/2025 by Radio NewsHub