Kelyan Bokassa Set to Appear in Court for Machete-Related Charges
Kelyan Bokassa faces court over a machete incident that shocked Woolwich residents
Kelyan Bokassa, Woolwich, London, Machete, Stabbing, Gang Violence
Woolwich: Kelyan Bokassa was stabbed on a bus in front of shocked passengers. This happened on Tuesday, and it was a pretty scary scene for everyone on board.
He was supposed to show up at Bromley Magistrates’ Court on Thursday. The charges? Possession of an offensive weapon. Apparently, he had a machete at Ravensbourne College last May.
This isn’t Kelyan’s first run-in with the law. He was previously caught stealing coats from John Lewis and got a youth referral order for that.
His mom, Mary Bokassa, said she wasn’t surprised by her son’s death. She claimed he had been groomed by gangs since he was just six years old.
“I feel hurt because I tried to prevent it. I’ve tried so many times. I said, ‘my son is going to be killed’,” she shared, clearly heartbroken.
Kelyan was also an aspiring drill rapper, going by the name Grippa. He even dropped a song on YouTube called “Bangers N Mash” on Christmas Day.
His tragic death has sparked a lot of chatter online, especially since another teen, Daejaun Campbell, was stabbed to death nearby just a few months earlier.
Daejaun was only 15 and was killed in Eglinton Road, Woolwich, last September. The police say there’s no connection between the two cases, but the investigation is still in its early days.
Just the day before Kelyan’s murder, there was another stabbing in Woolwich, where an 18-year-old was hospitalized. Thankfully, that incident isn’t thought to be related.
The police are asking anyone with information about Kelyan’s death to step forward. You can call them at 101 and mention reference 3795/07JAN25, or reach out to Crimestoppers anonymously.
Last year, ten teenagers lost their lives in London, with most of them being victims of stabbings. It’s a tough situation, and the community is feeling the impact.