Pair On Trial Over Boy's 'Witchcraft' Murder

** Thank you to PagansWorld for the link


Tom Parmenter, Sky News correspondent

A 15-year-old boy who died from "unspeakable savagery and brutality" was attacked by relatives who believed he was a sorcerer involved in witchcraft, a court has heard.

The victim, Kristy Bamu, was found drowned with 101 different injuries on Christmas Day 2010 in a flat in Newham, east London.

He had travelled with his siblings from Paris to spend the holiday with his older sister Magalie Bamu.

Opening the trial at the Old Bailey, prosecutor Brian Altman QC told the jury that when Kristy was found: "His face and his head were covered in deep cuts and bruising, his arms and back bore deep cuts and lacerations, there were teeth missing or loose in his mouth.

"It was plain that Kristy had been the victim of a prolonged attack of unspeakable savagery and brutality" he added.

He said Magalie Bamu and her partner Eric Bikubi, both 28, had been abusing members of the family for four days.

The prosecutor argued that while the youngsters had enjoyed their first few days there, "the mood started to turn sour".

The flat was littered with what was described as an 'armoury of weapons'

Kristy's siblings were forced to join in the violence before they were all placed in the bath to be hosed down in cold water by Bikubi on December 25, 2010, the court heard.

"It was only when he realised that Kristy was not moving that he stopped what he was doing and pulled him from the water. By then it was too late," said Mr Altman.

Bikubi, he alleged, believed Kristy was "a sorcerer or witch, practising witchcraft".

When emergency services arrived the small eighth floor flat was covered in blood.

It was littered with an "armoury of weapons" allegedly used in the attacks including several knives, a metal pole, a wooden stick, a pair of blood stained pliers, a hammer, a chisel, broken ceramic tiles and a blood stained mop.

Mr Altman went on to tell the jury: "In a staggering act of depravity and cruelty they both forced the others to take part in the assaults upon Kristy."

When paramedics arrived Bikubi was carrying out CPR on the victim on the bathroom floor.

He told paramedics the victim was his "brother-in-law" and that Kristy had returned to the flat and had felt unwell and was looking "spaced out".

Other children, injured and terrified, were found in the flat. None of them spoke English.

Bikubi has admitted manslaughter but denies murder on grounds of diminished responsibility due to mental illness Bamu denies the charges.

The trial continues.