Best Practice

The children who are accused of being witches

Safeguarding
Police in London investigate nine cases a year where a child's welfare is at risk because someone believes them to be a witch or possessed by a demonic spirit. DC Tina Pearce explains the role that schools have to play.

On Christmas Day in 2010, 15-year-old Kristy Bamu was murdered while visiting his sister and her partner, Eric Bikubi, in London. 

Bikubi accused Kristy of “Kindoki” or witchcraft and he, with Kristy’s sister, subjected Kristy to what has been described as “unimaginable violence”.

In the three days leading up to his death, Kristy was tortured and endured such agony that he begged to die before he drowned in the bath, having finally “admitted” to being a sorcerer.

In London alone, The Metropolitan Police Service investigates an average of nine cases each year, where concerns for a child’s welfare have been identified and a belief in witchcraft or spirit or demonic possession has featured. It is believed that many more cases exist but are not brought to the attention of child protection agencies. 

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