They were smiling, then the stabbing began: Shocking CCTV reveals London bus horror

Two teenage boys have been jailed for the brutal murder of 14-year-old Kelyan Bokassa, a killing carried out in cold blood on the top deck of a public bus in Woolwich.

Kelyan, full of hope and barely into his teenage years, was cornered and stabbed multiple times with machetes by two 16-year-old boys who smiled as they recognised him, moments before launching their ambush.

The assault, captured on bus CCTV, showed the teens striking with shocking speed and cruelty more than 27 attempts to wound, and at least eight deadly blows.

Panicked passengers screamed in horror as they fled the frenzied scene on Woolwich Church Street, desperately flagging down police officers.

Despite the heroic efforts of officers and paramedics, Kelyan could not be saved. He died on the street, his life extinguished in seconds, his future buried under bloodstained pavement.

The attackers, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were caught dumping their murder weapon into the river before going on the run.

A manhunt led to their arrest in Eltham just over a week later. At the Old Bailey, they were sentenced to a minimum of 15 years and 10 months for murder, plus 12 months for knife possession, to run concurrently.

The victim’s mother, Marie Bokassa, delivered a gut-wrenching statement in court, saying: “My child had a name. It was Kelyan, a future, a heartbeat full of hope. That moment of violence may have lasted seconds, but the consequences are eternal. They didn’t just take a life; they shattered a world.”

“To the young people who carry knives, I beg you: think of your mother before you raise that blade. Don’t let anger turn you into a killer.”

Detective Chief Inspector Sarah Lee, who led the investigation, said: “The fact we’re seeing so many teenagers like Kelyan die should be at the forefront of the minds of every politician and policymaker.”