August 1, 2025 • 9 mins
In this chilling episode of Rogue Darkness, we unravel the tragic and disturbing case of Kristy Bamu—a 15-year-old boy who was tortured and murdered by his own family after being accused of witchcraft during a holiday visit in 2010.
Accused of practicing “kindoki”—a form of witchcraft feared in some Congolese communities—Kristy endured days of unimaginable abuse at the hands of his sister and her partner in a London flat. What followed was a harrowing descent into ritualistic violence, exposing the dark intersection of cultural beliefs, superstition, and unchecked cruelty.
We’ll explore the psychological manipulation behind the abuse, the role of cultural demonization, and the court proceedings that followed. This case is a sobering reminder of how superstition, when left unchecked, can become deadly.
⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode contains detailed accounts of child abuse, torture, and murder. Listener discretion is strongly advised.
⸻
🔍 Sources Used:
•Laville, Sandra. “Kristy Bamu murder: the story of an accusation of witchcraft that ended in death.” The Guardian, 5 Mar. 2012.
•Dodd, Vikram. “Kristy Bamu: Couple found guilty of murdering boy accused of witchcraft.” The Guardian, 1 Mar. 2012.
•BBC News. “Kristy Bamu torture case: Man guilty of murder.” BBC, 1 Mar. 2012.
•ITV News. “Kristy Bamu: Timeline of a horror story.” ITV, 1 Mar. 2012.
•Crown Prosecution Service. “Kristy Bamu: Witchcraft murder conviction.” cps.gov.uk, 2012.
•Met Police UK official press release on the case.
Videos used for News Audio:
https://youtu.be/dfEoNM7UKsY?s...
https://youtu.be/yTjiWI9d9gQ?s...
Accused of practicing “kindoki”—a form of witchcraft feared in some Congolese communities—Kristy endured days of unimaginable abuse at the hands of his sister and her partner in a London flat. What followed was a harrowing descent into ritualistic violence, exposing the dark intersection of cultural beliefs, superstition, and unchecked cruelty.
We’ll explore the psychological manipulation behind the abuse, the role of cultural demonization, and the court proceedings that followed. This case is a sobering reminder of how superstition, when left unchecked, can become deadly.
⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode contains detailed accounts of child abuse, torture, and murder. Listener discretion is strongly advised.
⸻
🔍 Sources Used:
•Laville, Sandra. “Kristy Bamu murder: the story of an accusation of witchcraft that ended in death.” The Guardian, 5 Mar. 2012.
•Dodd, Vikram. “Kristy Bamu: Couple found guilty of murdering boy accused of witchcraft.” The Guardian, 1 Mar. 2012.
•BBC News. “Kristy Bamu torture case: Man guilty of murder.” BBC, 1 Mar. 2012.
•ITV News. “Kristy Bamu: Timeline of a horror story.” ITV, 1 Mar. 2012.
•Crown Prosecution Service. “Kristy Bamu: Witchcraft murder conviction.” cps.gov.uk, 2012.
•Met Police UK official press release on the case.
Videos used for News Audio:
https://youtu.be/dfEoNM7UKsY?s...
https://youtu.be/yTjiWI9d9gQ?s...
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Dark Cast Network.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Welcome to the dark side of podcasts Leaf they would
doc Reifie animals dark world of ritualistic child abuse? Is
there a well organized plot, an insidious design to program
the minds.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
Of our children towards the occult and witchcraft?
Speaker 4 (00:26):
Does it make you want to hate murder?
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Or does it make you want to do murder? Let's
explore the darkness of mankind from One Crime at a Time.
Welcome back to Rogue Darkness, the podcast that uncovers how
the misinterpretations and misinformation surrounding witchcraft, the occult, and other
beliefs have led many to do unthinkable crimes. From ritualistic
(00:49):
killings and the demons that live in all of us,
to exploration of the macabre and delving deep into the unknown,
Let's explore the darkness of mankind one crime at a time.
I'm your host of the Grim and Gruesome Raven. There
(01:12):
are few things more terrifying than the fact that belief
in witchcraft, once thought confined to ancient times and far
away lands, still grips people to the point of violence.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
Today.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
In this episode, we'll be discussing the horrific true story
of Christi Bamu, a fifteen year old boy tortured and
killed in modern day London by his own family, who
believed he was possessed.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
Christi Bamu had traveled with his siblings from their home
in France to spend the twenty ten Christmas holidays at
the home of their eldest sister, Magalie and her partner,
Eric Bakoubi. When Christi wett himself inside the flat, they
became convinced he was a witch and used an armory
(01:57):
of weapons to exercise evil spirits.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
Christie Bamu was born in nineteen ninety five in Paris, France,
into a Conglese family. At the age of fifteen, in
December of twenty ten, Christie and his siblings traveled from
France to London to visit their older sister, Magali bamou
and her boyfriend, Eric Bikubi, a man who was known
to have a deeply troubled past, with erratic behavior and
(02:25):
a controlling personality. But this wasn't a typical family holiday. Instead,
it quickly spiraled into one of the most brutal and
baffling cases of ritualistic torture the UK had seen in decades.
What started as a family gathering turned into a nightmare.
Eric Bakubi, who had long been obsessed with the concept
(02:48):
of witchcraft, or kindochi as it is known in parts
of Central Africa, began accusing the children of being possessed.
He believed Christie, in particular, had brought ea evil spirits
into his home. Eric's belief in kindochi wasn't just spiritual,
it was paranoid, violent and fueled by mental instability, and tragically, Magalee,
(03:12):
Christie's own sister, supported him. Over the course of three days,
Christie was subjected to unthinkable torture. He was beaten with
metal bars, floor tiles, and even a pair of pliers.
The young boy begged for mercy, pleaded to be allowed
to die. He was denied food, water, and even basic
(03:32):
human decency. He was accused of witchcraft, of casting spells
and infecting others with evil, but Christy didn't even understand
what they were talking about. He had never believed in witchcraft.
He was just a boy. When emergency services were finally called,
far too late, it was not to save him, but
(03:53):
to report a death. Christy had drowned in the bathtub,
his body battered, broken and soaked in his own blood
and the water he had been submerged in. His injuries
were so extensive that forensic pathologists likened it to a
car crash victim. And the most horrifying part, he had
asked to be killed. Anything was better than the suffering
(04:16):
he was enduring.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
There were various knives, a hammer, metal bars, wooden poles,
and various tools that were left heavily bloodstained. They twisted
his ears with these pliers. This bag of ceramic tiles
was smashed over the teenage boy for four days up
there on the eighth floor, the children weren't allowed to eat, sleep,
(04:41):
or drink. They were forced to pray and take part
in what was a sadistic ritual that was under the
guise of deliverance. In the final act, the children were
all forced into the bath. Christy was so badly injured
he simply couldn't keep his head above water.
Speaker 4 (05:00):
What took place in Hathaway Crescent went way beyond anything
that we've seen before.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
The bloodstained mop showed there was an attempt to try
and hide what happened here. You can't hide from the
fact that witchcraft is still part of modern Britain and
it's being used as an excuse to abuse children.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
The case rocked the UK to its core. It wasn't
just about the brutality of the murder, it was the
disturbing fact that it was rooted in ancient superstition brought
into a modern context a belief system that, when twisted
by paranoia an unchecked violence, led to the death of
a child. In twenty twelve, Eric Bikubi and Magali Bamu
(05:44):
were both convicted. Eric was sentenced to a minimum of
thirty years in prison and Magalee to twenty five years.
The judge condemned them for allowing a cruel and prolonged
ordeal to unfold, fueled by delusion, madness and a belief
in curses that had no place in civilized society.
Speaker 4 (06:06):
West African born couple have been found guilty of torturing
and murdering a fifteen year old boy in a trial
bedeviled by witchcraft, possession and exorcism. Christie Bamu was killed
by his sister and her partner in their attempts, they
said to protect another child from evil spirits. Sentencing the
pair to life imprisonment, the judge of the Old Bailey
said the case had been so harrowing. The jury would
(06:29):
be exempted from any further service for the rest of
their lives.
Speaker 3 (06:33):
One hundred and thirty injuries had been inflicted on his body,
and all done to protect another child in the flat
from a malicious force known in Congolese life as Kindoki,
Eric Pakubi and Magaliebamu brought more than shame. Rights of
religion have been conjured up to justify violent acts, but
(06:53):
police inquiries found nothing in the UK which might have encouraged.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
That the death of Christie b has since been a
wake up call, not just in the UK, but globally.
It forced social services, law enforcement and schools to recognize
that belief in witchcraft, possession and exorcism still exists and
that it can be deadly. Christie should have been safe
(07:18):
with his sister. He should have come home from Christmas
break with stories of games, gifts and laughter. Instead, his
story is a cautionary tale, a modern day witch trial
carried out behind closed doors. His name deserves to be
remembered not as a witch, but as a victim of
superstitious belief that took an unfortunate turn morphing into brutality.
(07:42):
An innocent life was lost far too soon. If you
or someone you know is experiencing abuse, especially under the
guise of spiritual or religious belief, don't stay silent, as
the infamous saying goes, if you see something, say something.
No truer words have been spoken, because it truly could
(08:02):
save an innocent life. If you enjoyed this episode, please
consider subscribing to Rogue Darkness on your favorite podcast platform.
Your support helps us continue to bring you more stories
of true crime and the paranormal. Definitely let me know
(08:25):
your thoughts on this case and if you have any
questions regarding it or any other cases I've previously covered.
You can always contact me at Rogue darknesspod at gmail
dot com. You can also always reach out to me
directly on my socials, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and YouTube are
all at Rogue Underscore Darkness. As always, be sure to
(08:45):
share the podcast with anyone who you think would like it,
and be sure to leave a rating a review over
on Apple, iTunes, Spotify, Good Pods, or anywhere else you
can leave a review to let other listeners know you
enjoy the show, and if you want some personalized shoutouts
and other exclusives, definitely check out my Patreon by visiting
patreon dot com slash Rogue Darkness. You can also check
(09:07):
out my Bonfire shop if you want to get your
hands on some merch to support the show even further.
As always, all the links for everything discussed in my
episodes are down in the description box of the episode.
And with that said, that concludes this week's episode of
Rogue Darkness. The darkness is all around us, and I
can confidently say that reality truly is more terrifying than fiction.
(09:33):
Until next time,
Dark Cast Network.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Welcome to the dark side of podcasts Leaf they would
doc Reifie animals dark world of ritualistic child abuse? Is
there a well organized plot, an insidious design to program
the minds.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
Of our children towards the occult and witchcraft?
Speaker 4 (00:26):
Does it make you want to hate murder?
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Or does it make you want to do murder? Let's
explore the darkness of mankind from One Crime at a Time.
Welcome back to Rogue Darkness, the podcast that uncovers how
the misinterpretations and misinformation surrounding witchcraft, the occult, and other
beliefs have led many to do unthinkable crimes. From ritualistic
(00:49):
killings and the demons that live in all of us,
to exploration of the macabre and delving deep into the unknown,
Let's explore the darkness of mankind one crime at a time.
I'm your host of the Grim and Gruesome Raven. There
(01:12):
are few things more terrifying than the fact that belief
in witchcraft, once thought confined to ancient times and far
away lands, still grips people to the point of violence.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
Today.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
In this episode, we'll be discussing the horrific true story
of Christi Bamu, a fifteen year old boy tortured and
killed in modern day London by his own family, who
believed he was possessed.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
Christi Bamu had traveled with his siblings from their home
in France to spend the twenty ten Christmas holidays at
the home of their eldest sister, Magalie and her partner,
Eric Bakoubi. When Christi wett himself inside the flat, they
became convinced he was a witch and used an armory
(01:57):
of weapons to exercise evil spirits.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
Christie Bamu was born in nineteen ninety five in Paris, France,
into a Conglese family. At the age of fifteen, in
December of twenty ten, Christie and his siblings traveled from
France to London to visit their older sister, Magali bamou
and her boyfriend, Eric Bikubi, a man who was known
to have a deeply troubled past, with erratic behavior and
(02:25):
a controlling personality. But this wasn't a typical family holiday. Instead,
it quickly spiraled into one of the most brutal and
baffling cases of ritualistic torture the UK had seen in decades.
What started as a family gathering turned into a nightmare.
Eric Bakubi, who had long been obsessed with the concept
(02:48):
of witchcraft, or kindochi as it is known in parts
of Central Africa, began accusing the children of being possessed.
He believed Christie, in particular, had brought ea evil spirits
into his home. Eric's belief in kindochi wasn't just spiritual,
it was paranoid, violent and fueled by mental instability, and tragically, Magalee,
(03:12):
Christie's own sister, supported him. Over the course of three days,
Christie was subjected to unthinkable torture. He was beaten with
metal bars, floor tiles, and even a pair of pliers.
The young boy begged for mercy, pleaded to be allowed
to die. He was denied food, water, and even basic
(03:32):
human decency. He was accused of witchcraft, of casting spells
and infecting others with evil, but Christy didn't even understand
what they were talking about. He had never believed in witchcraft.
He was just a boy. When emergency services were finally called,
far too late, it was not to save him, but
(03:53):
to report a death. Christy had drowned in the bathtub,
his body battered, broken and soaked in his own blood
and the water he had been submerged in. His injuries
were so extensive that forensic pathologists likened it to a
car crash victim. And the most horrifying part, he had
asked to be killed. Anything was better than the suffering
(04:16):
he was enduring.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
There were various knives, a hammer, metal bars, wooden poles,
and various tools that were left heavily bloodstained. They twisted
his ears with these pliers. This bag of ceramic tiles
was smashed over the teenage boy for four days up
there on the eighth floor, the children weren't allowed to eat, sleep,
(04:41):
or drink. They were forced to pray and take part
in what was a sadistic ritual that was under the
guise of deliverance. In the final act, the children were
all forced into the bath. Christy was so badly injured
he simply couldn't keep his head above water.
Speaker 4 (05:00):
What took place in Hathaway Crescent went way beyond anything
that we've seen before.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
The bloodstained mop showed there was an attempt to try
and hide what happened here. You can't hide from the
fact that witchcraft is still part of modern Britain and
it's being used as an excuse to abuse children.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
The case rocked the UK to its core. It wasn't
just about the brutality of the murder, it was the
disturbing fact that it was rooted in ancient superstition brought
into a modern context a belief system that, when twisted
by paranoia an unchecked violence, led to the death of
a child. In twenty twelve, Eric Bikubi and Magali Bamu
(05:44):
were both convicted. Eric was sentenced to a minimum of
thirty years in prison and Magalee to twenty five years.
The judge condemned them for allowing a cruel and prolonged
ordeal to unfold, fueled by delusion, madness and a belief
in curses that had no place in civilized society.
Speaker 4 (06:06):
West African born couple have been found guilty of torturing
and murdering a fifteen year old boy in a trial
bedeviled by witchcraft, possession and exorcism. Christie Bamu was killed
by his sister and her partner in their attempts, they
said to protect another child from evil spirits. Sentencing the
pair to life imprisonment, the judge of the Old Bailey
said the case had been so harrowing. The jury would
(06:29):
be exempted from any further service for the rest of
their lives.
Speaker 3 (06:33):
One hundred and thirty injuries had been inflicted on his body,
and all done to protect another child in the flat
from a malicious force known in Congolese life as Kindoki,
Eric Pakubi and Magaliebamu brought more than shame. Rights of
religion have been conjured up to justify violent acts, but
(06:53):
police inquiries found nothing in the UK which might have encouraged.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
That the death of Christie b has since been a
wake up call, not just in the UK, but globally.
It forced social services, law enforcement and schools to recognize
that belief in witchcraft, possession and exorcism still exists and
that it can be deadly. Christie should have been safe
(07:18):
with his sister. He should have come home from Christmas
break with stories of games, gifts and laughter. Instead, his
story is a cautionary tale, a modern day witch trial
carried out behind closed doors. His name deserves to be
remembered not as a witch, but as a victim of
superstitious belief that took an unfortunate turn morphing into brutality.
(07:42):
An innocent life was lost far too soon. If you
or someone you know is experiencing abuse, especially under the
guise of spiritual or religious belief, don't stay silent, as
the infamous saying goes, if you see something, say something.
No truer words have been spoken, because it truly could
(08:02):
save an innocent life. If you enjoyed this episode, please
consider subscribing to Rogue Darkness on your favorite podcast platform.
Your support helps us continue to bring you more stories
of true crime and the paranormal. Definitely let me know
(08:25):
your thoughts on this case and if you have any
questions regarding it or any other cases I've previously covered.
You can always contact me at Rogue darknesspod at gmail
dot com. You can also always reach out to me
directly on my socials, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and YouTube are
all at Rogue Underscore Darkness. As always, be sure to
(08:45):
share the podcast with anyone who you think would like it,
and be sure to leave a rating a review over
on Apple, iTunes, Spotify, Good Pods, or anywhere else you
can leave a review to let other listeners know you
enjoy the show, and if you want some personalized shoutouts
and other exclusives, definitely check out my Patreon by visiting
patreon dot com slash Rogue Darkness. You can also check
(09:07):
out my Bonfire shop if you want to get your
hands on some merch to support the show even further.
As always, all the links for everything discussed in my
episodes are down in the description box of the episode.
And with that said, that concludes this week's episode of
Rogue Darkness. The darkness is all around us, and I
can confidently say that reality truly is more terrifying than fiction.
(09:33):
Until next time,
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