Kristy Bamu Witchcraft Murder Couple Found Guilty

A couple have been found guilty of torturing and murdering a teenager they had accused of using witchcraft.

Eric Bikubi and Magalie Bamu, both 28, had initially denied killing Bamu's 15-year-old brother Kristy.

Kristy drowned in a bath on Christmas Day 2010 while being tortured as a form of exorcism, an Old Bailey jury heard.

The court was told how Kristy sustained more than 100 separate injuries after he was subjected to "torture of quite brutal and savage proportions" at the couple's east London flat.

He was attacked over four days with metal bars, a chisel, a hammer and a pair of pliers. At one point he was in so much pain that he begged to die before slipping under the water, a jury heard.

Kristy and his two siblings were visiting the couple over Christmas. Bikubi accused them of practising witchcraft and the three guests were beaten and forced to attack each other before Bikubi focused his attention on Kristy.

Bikubi admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. The trial heard how he was suffering from a "schizophrenia-like" brain injury, which would have caused him to suffer delusions and hallucinations.

Bamu claimed she did what she was told during the ordeal because she was scared of Bikubi.

Sentencing will be passed on 5 March.