Teen jailed for life after killing Elianne Andam, 15, over teddy bear at bus stop
A teenager who stabbed Elianne Andam, 15, to death in an ‘act of unimaginable violence’ at a bus stop in south London has been jailed for life.
Hassan Sentamu killed the schoolgirl with a kitchen knife outside the Whitgift Centre in Croydon, on September 27, 2023, over an innocent ‘joke’.
The ‘evil’ 18-year-old was sentenced today to a minimum of 23 years in prison at the Old Bailey.
But the family criticised the sentence, saying it had left them feeling ‘abandoned and unheard’.
Pastor Mark Rossell said on behalf of the family outside the court: ‘We cannot accept such lenient sentences are appropriate for violent calculated crimes like this.’
Sentamu, from New Addington, attacked Elianne when she had joined a friend to support her as she and Sentamu swapped their belongings following a break-up.
But Sentamu – who has a history of violence against women and girls – attacked her with the knife in front of schoolchildren in ‘white hot’ rage.
Elianne’s mum Dorcas paid tribute to the ‘kindest, most loving daughter’ who had dreamt of becoming a human rights lawyer.
She described her daughter as ‘vibrant, creative, and purposeful’ and that she would have gone to do ‘the greatest things’ in life.
‘Now the music has stopped, the laughter is gone. All that remains is a deafening silence,’ she said.
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Elianne’s father, Michael Andam, said the ‘violent’ loss of their ‘bright light’ left a ‘gaping wound’.
Elianne’s uncle Kwame Boakye, 55, told Metro previously of the family’s traumatic loss. ‘At last justice has been done but it’s been a long road and the family have paid a heavy price with illness and stress,’ he said.
‘The murder conviction is the correct decision. Autism can not be used as an excuse for this level of violence. Nothing will bring Elianne back and we are all still grieving.’
The girl’s heartbroken cousin, Denzil Larbi, said at the sentencing today that the pair shared a love of rap music and that her murder was a ‘living nightmare’.
Larbi said: ‘What you did is the most monstrous, evil act imaginable.
‘You did not just take a life, you shattered so many others.
‘To see a 15-year-old lying in a mortuary is something no family should have to endure. People say time is the greatest healer. I cannot see how time will ever heal this kind of wound. Time will never bring her back.
‘She was only 15. She should still be here.’
In the days leading up to the attack, Sentamu had initiated the break-up with Elianne’s friend. The pair met him the day before at the Whitgift Centre where they ‘teased’ him and his ex-girlfriend splashed water on him.
Sentamu, then 17, armed himself with a kitchen knife, a mask and gloves after telling a friend he can’t ‘let this slide.’
Elianne’s friend, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the court: ‘Elianne ran behind him, grabbed the bag and started running and laughing as a joke. It was the type of thing that Elianne would have done.
‘At first I was laughing a bit because it was a joke and then I got scared because then Hassan got mad.’
The friend revealed that Sentamu had an ‘anger issue’ and the man behaved like he was a character on Netflix hit London crime drama Top Boy.
Sentamu chased the teenager and stabbed her repeatedly while Elianne pleaded with him to stop. The court heard that she had a suffered a four-inch wound to her neck.
Elianne died on the street holding the hand of a passing bus driver who stayed with her.
Sentamu was caught before he got home thanks to the children and their parents who were able to describe him despite being ‘traumatised’ of witnessing the attack.
Rapper Stormzy joined the community in remembering Elianne previously at a candle vigil.
Elianne was commended on standing up for her friend and ‘doing what she thought was right,’ the detective leading the murder investigation said.
Sentamu previously admitted manslaughter, but he was found guilty of murder and carrying a blade.
Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb, sentencing, said: “Elianne was 15 when you murdered her she will always remain just 15 she will never realise the potential of her life.”
She described Elianne as a “hardworking, happy girl who lived life to the full”.
The judge continued: “The pain of her loss to her parents and younger brother is indescribable
“Her father says she was a kind beautiful girl.
“Her mum recalls her big dreams to change the world and become a lawyer and fight for justice.”
Mrs Cheema-Grub added how a mural had been set up for Elianne in Croydon, near where she was killed.
She added: “It’s presence marks the determination of the community as forcefully as they can – put the knives down.”
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