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Summary: Kristy Bamu, 15, was drowned in a bath on Christmas Day 2010 by his sister and her partner who believed he had cast spells on another child in the family.
[1 March 2012] - A couple has been found guilty of murdering a teenage boy who they had accused of practising witchcraft. Kristy Bamu, 15, was drowned in a bath on Christmas Day 2010 by his sister Magalie Bamu and her partner Eric Bikubi. They believed he had cast spells on another child in the family, the court had heard. Bikubi, 28, and Magalie Bamu, 29, of Newham in east London, had denied murder. They have been remanded in custody to be sentenced on Monday (5 March). Charity Trust for London said while the perpetrators had been brought to justice more must be done to prevent child abuse linked to accusations of witchcraft and spirit possession. A spokeswoman for the charity said: "Although incidents of this type of abuse appear to be rare, this case demonstrates that the impact can be devastating; the latest recorded statistics show that in the UK there have been victims from White British, Asian and African backgrounds. "Those working with children need to remember that no faith or culture promotes cruelty to children and not to be afraid to intervene if someone is wrongly using belief as an excuse to harm children. "We are concerned that some professionals may be uncertain about how to deal with abuse linked to witchcraft and spirit possession but, as in all abuse cases, they need to assess for evidence of the four known categories of child abuse: physical, sexual, emotional abuse or neglect." The charity is now calling for more training for frontline workers to make sure they are confident in identifying and responding effectively to this kind of abuse. "Child protection agencies must also reach out to all local faith organisations to offer training and advice – and to identify potential risks to children," the spokeswoman added. "As with all abuse, a key part of the solution lies within communities: speaking up for children, creating safer environments and being vigilant about risks. Trust for London has invested significantly in backing campaigners for children’s rights within African communities but more resources are needed to expand this work nationally and to all communities." Further Information:
pdf: http://www.cypnow.co.uk/Social_Care/article/1120126/couple-found-guilty-...