Witchcraft murder couple guilty

[Jimmy-J]

Just when I thought I couldn't get any more depressed.

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

Eric Bikubi, 28, and Magalie Bamu, aged 29, from Newham, east London, had denied killing Bamu's 15-year-old brother Kristy.

Kristy drowned in a bath on Christmas Day in 2010, during torture to produce exorcism, an Old Bailey jury heard.

Link

"We're quite happy to talk about what is inappropriate belief when it comes to terrorism or paedophilia," said African studies expert Dr Richard Hoskins.

"But when it comes to fundamentalist religious belief affecting child protection, we don't seem to want to talk about it."

Government urged to tackle 'witchcraft belief' child abuse

In the past 10 years, London police have investigated 83 cases, four of which involved the death of a child.

Ritual abuse of children: a hidden and under-reported crime

[Osem]

Tip of an appalling iceberg methinks. Let's hope the sentences reflect the hideous nature of this crime.

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by Osem

Tip of an appalling iceberg methinks. Let's hope the sentences reflect the hideous nature of this crime.

I suspect the sentence will. Obviously, I can't predict the future, but the evidence is disturbing enough that the judge has offered counselling to the jurors, and should they request it, an exemption from any future jury service. I don't think either offer was made lightly.

[Osem]

Quite. Let's also hope that the reality properly reflects the sentence. God only knows what was in the heads of these monsters!

[Stuart]

The sentences were passed. The man got a minimum of 30 years and the woman got a minimum of 25.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-17255470

Also, the police have condemned the "sadistic cruelty" of the couple: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17260897