Two teenage boys have appearedn in court after 14-year-old schoolboy Kelyan Bokassa was knifed to death on a London bus. Kelyan was stabbed around 27 times with machetes during the horror attack which took place on his way home from school on January 7. A 15-year-old from Woolwich and a 16-year-old from Plumstead were charged with Kelyan’s murder in the early hours of this morning. Police had been called to a route 472 bus in Woolwich at 2:28pm after reports of a stabbing. The incident occurred on Woolwich Church Street near the junction with the A205 South Circular Road. Emergency services and an air ambulance were scrambled to the scene but Kelyan was sadly pronounced dead soon after their arrival. The boys were arrested yesterday following a manhunt by Specialist Crime Command, the Met Police said. A 44-year-old woman was also arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender. She has since been released under investigation. The 16-year-old, who cannot be named, appeared at Bromley Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, speaking to confirm his name, date of birth and address. The 15-year-old appeared later in a separate hearing. The 15-year-old from Woolwich and 16-year-old from Plumstead were charged in the early hours of this morning after Kelyan Bokassa (pictured) was killed on January 7 The incident occurred on Woolwich Church Street near the junction with the A205 South Circular Road He appeared wearing a grey prison issue track suit as family members looked on from the public gallery. The 15-year-old will appear in court separately this afternoon. Prosecutor Charshani Siva said: ‘The victim was on his way home from school and was stabbed by the defendant and his co-defendant with machetes.’ ‘They went into hiding to avoid arrest for six days.’ District Judge Lucy Corrin told the 16-year-old: ‘This case must go to the Central Criminal Court and that will be on 20 January. ‘You are charged with murder, prosecution say you and (the co-defendant) were carrying large knives and that you approached Kelyan, a 14 year old boy on the 472 bus.’ Judge Corrin said Kelyan was stabbed ‘approximately 27 times’ and ‘the wound that killed him was a blow which severed his femoral artery’. Paramedics from the London Ambulance Service and London’s Air Ambulance desperately tried to save Kelyan but he died at the scene. The 16-year-old was remanded in custody ahead of his preliminary hearing at the Old Bailey on Monday. At a separate hearing, the second boy accused of stabbing schoolboy Kelyan Bokassa to death on a bus was also remanded in custody. The 15-year-old appeared in court this afternoon, speaking to confirm his name, date of birth and address. He was remanded in custody and will appear with the 16-year-old at the Old Bailey on Monday (20). David Malone, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said earlier: ‘We have today authorised the Metropolitan Police to charge two teenagers with murder following the tragic death of Kelyan Bokassa in Woolwich on January 7, 2025. ‘The boys, aged 15 and 16, who cannot be named at this stage in legal proceedings, will appear at Bromley Youth Court for a first hearing on Thursday January 16. ‘Our thoughts remain with Kelyan’s family and friends at this difficult time. ‘The Crown Prosecution Service reminds everyone that criminal proceedings are active and each of the defendants has the right to a fair trial. ‘It is extremely important that there be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.’ Kelyan’s family continue to be supported by specialist officers and the investigation is ongoing, a spokesperson added. His alleged murder came as he was mourning the death of his close friend DaeJaun Campbell, 15, who was also stabbed to death. Kelyan had been an aspiring drill rapper, releasing a song on Christmas Day called ‘Bangers and Mash’. The video showed him dressed in a hoodie and mask, pretending to wave a knife as he raps: ‘I’m the shortest shooter on my block but I still roll with the longest ting’. The teenager was stabbed in front of horrified passengers on a route 472 bus in Woolwich at around 2.30pm on Tuesday Kelyan’s heartbroken mother, Mary Bokassa, wept as she revealed how she feared her son had been taken advantage of by grooming gangs Kelyan was pronounced dead at the scene of the stabbing shortly after paramedics arrived Kelyan (pictured) was an aspiring gangster rapper named online as ‘Grippa’ His mother, Mary Bokassa, 50, previously sobbed as she told of her fears her ‘polite’ son had been groomed by gangs and exposed to drugs. She told MailOnline: ‘He was very kind and caring. He cares about people and had a good sense of humour. ‘He was very polite. He was interested in football and was a supporter of Arsenal.’ Ms Bokassa said Kelyan had been taken into care four years ago but ‘kept running away’ and had lived rough on the streets for a year, where she feared he was preyed upon by criminals. ‘My son and others were taken advantage by gangs. They were groomed,’ Ms Bokassa told MailOnline from her home in south east London. Ms Bokassa added: ‘He was missing for a year and was living on the street. He finally turned up at my doorstep, he was sick, underweight and tattooed… He was exposed to drugs. He probably experienced something because I could sense it.’ Speaking at the time of the arrests on Wednesday, Detective Chief Inspector Sarah Lee said: ‘While these arrests mark a significant step forward in this investigation, we continue to appeal for anyone with information about Keylan’s murder to come forward and speak to us. ‘I would like to thank officers for working around the clock in order to locate our suspects and praise the Woolwich community for their on-going support and patience whilst we have carried out our investigation. ‘I know that this incident deeply affected you all, and I hope that these two arrests reassure you that we are doing everything to tackle violent offenders across London.’ Anyone with information is asked to call 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, quoting reference 3795/07Jan.
Aspiring rapper Kelyan Bokassa, 14, was on his way home from school when he was ‘stabbed 27 times with machetes’, court hears | #rapper | #hiphop | #hacker | #court |
