By Chantelle Muzanenhamo
A 15-year-old boy from Zimbabwe, Colin Chabikwa, is now the subject of a manhunt by UK police in connection with the fatal stabbing of 14-year-old Kelyan Bokassa on a London bus.
Authorities have confirmed that Chabikwa had been missing for several months prior to the tragic incident, which occurred on January 7, 2024.
Chabikwa disappeared from Gillingham, Kent, on September 23, 2024, and had previously been reported as a missing person.
His photo was circulated by Kent Police, who highlighted his connections to Woolwich, located in southeast London.
The brutal stabbing unfolded on the 472 double-decker bus on Woolwich Church Street, just before 2:30 PM. Despite swift interventions by paramedics and the London Air Ambulance, Kelyan succumbed to his injuries shortly after the attack.
Metropolitan Police officials have pledged to work around the clock to track down Chabikwa and his 16-year-old accomplice, identified as Mosawar Zazi.
Kelyan Bokassa, who was known as a budding drill rapper under the name “Grippa,” had reportedly been embroiled in a gang-related feud prior to his death.
Investigators believe he might have been targeted in a rivalry linked to a foreboding post he made on Instagram just before the stabbing, in which he asked followers if anyone had a “mindy,” slang for a knife.
Kelyan’s death follows closely on the heels of another tragic incident in Woolwich—just three months earlier, 15-year-old Daejaun Campbell was also fatally stabbed in the area.
These events have raised alarm over increasing youth violence in Woolwich, prompting authorities to boost police patrols and searches in the community.
The Metropolitan Police have urged the public to refrain from approaching Chabikwa or Zazi if they are seen, instead recommending immediate contact with law enforcement.