Teens Sentenced Over 'Respect' Murder

By Sky News SkyNews - Friday, May 9 05:52 am

Five teenagers who stabbed a 16-year-old schoolboy to death during an ambush will be sentenced later today.

Kodjo Yenga - who was chased by a gang shouting "kill him, kill him" in west London - died in his girlfriend's arms after being stabbed in the heart.

Two youths, aged 14 and 17, were found guilty of murdering Kodjo in March last year, in Hammersmith, west London.

Three other youths, aged 14 and 15 and 17, were found guilty of manslaughter.

The defendents, who cannot be named because of their ages, were remanded at the Old Bailey last month for sentencing today.

Kodjo, a bright university prospect, had been ambushed by about a dozen youngsters, including two girls, who armed themselves with knives, bats and even a bull terrier.

The gang, some of them in their school uniforms, ran away laughing as horrified passers-by tried to help the victim.

Kodjo went into the area after being challenged to a fight by one youth - then being ambushed by others.

He had told the youth with the knife: "Do you think you are a big boy because you have a knife to me?"

He was told: "I don't care. I want you to respect me," the court heard.

Kodjo, a student at a Roman Catholic school, was expected to go to university and loved music.

After the verdicts, his mother Ladjua Lesele told the killers: "No matter how many times you wash your hands, his blood will stay on them for as long as you live."

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