Exorcism murder

Two people have been found guilty in the exorcism murder two years ago of a 15-year-old boy. The pair accused Kristy Bamu of practicing witchcraft and being possessed by demons.

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. During the trial, jurors heard Kristy was in such pain after three days of attacks by Bikubi and Bamu, who used knives, sticks, metal bars, and a hammer and chisel, that he "begged to die," before slipping under the water. Kristy had been killed while he and his siblings were visiting Bikubi and Bamu for Christmas, the court was told. During the stay, Bikubi turned on them, accusing them of bringing "kindoki" -- or witchcraft -- into his home.

Both defendants and the victim were from the African country Democratic Republic of Congo, where belief in magic and demons is widespread; in fact a 2010 Gallup poll found that over half of Africans in sub-Saharan Africa believe in witchcraft.