Witchcraft Murder Trial: Accused Magalie Bamu 'Horrified' At Brother's Killing

Witchcraft Murder Accused Was 'Horrified' At Brother's Brutal Killing
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A woman said today the killing of her brother after he was accused of witchcraft was "like a nightmare".

Magalie Bamu, 28, denied willingly taking part in the torture and murder of Kristy Bamu, 15, who was found drowned in a bath.

Bamu told the Old Bailey that she had been forced to beat Kristy by her partner Eric Bikubi, 28, who had accused the boy of using sorcery on another child in the family.

She said: "I was petrified, scared, horrified."

Bamu said she had hit Kristy with a curtain rod because she claimed Bikubi said he would hit him harder if she did not.

Kristy was spending Christmas at the couple's flat in Forest Gate, east London, with his brothers and sisters from their home in Paris.

He was beaten with a hammer, sticks and bottles over three days and "begged to die" before being placed in the bath on Christmas Day 2010.

The prosecution claim the couple both took part in the attack, with Magalie Bamu encouraging Bikubi.

But Bamu said she did what she was told because she was frightened of Bikubi. She denied sharing his belief in witchcraft.

She said: "He was my bother and I loved him. I didn't have a choice. I did what I did because I was forced to.

"No one could stop Eric, none of us together could stop him. I have never seen him like that."

She had not given her version of events because: "It didn't feel like it was real. It felt like I was in a nightmare. It felt like I was not there. I was in a nightmare."

Bikubi also denies murder, claiming his responsibility was diminished by mental illness.