Ritual clue to torso boy murder

Detectives hunting the killers of a five-year-old boy, whose severed torso was dumped in the Thames after apparently being butchered in a macabre ritual, have uncovered vital new evidence.

Officers are now convinced the boy was murdered in Britain, and more than likely in London, although he is believed to have come from west Africa, possibly Nigeria or the Ivory Coast.

Seven half-burned candles wrapped in a white sheet have been found washed up near Battersea power station, supporting the theory that the boy was the victim of a "muti" murder.

Muti killings, which are prevalent in South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa, are carried out for body parts, the use of which in medicines is believed to bring prosperity, vitality and good fortune.

Detectives are desperate to find out whether a name written three times in felttip pen on the white sheet - Adekoyejo Fola Adoye - is that of the boy. The names Fola and Adoye have also been carved with a knife on the candles.

The torso, spotted floating in the Thames near the Globe Theatre on 21 September by a man walking across Tower Bridge, had been in the water for between one and 10 days.

The boy, who detectives called Adam for want of any other name, does not match descriptions of children on missing persons lists and has still not been identified despite the involvement of police forces across Europe and Africa.

Det Insp Will O'Reilly said: "We believe this was a ritualistic killing, the first case of its kind investigated in the UK. We are linking this find of the sheet and candles with the discovery of Adam.

"A forensic examination of the sheet is being carried out, so we cannot say for definite whether the body was wrapped in it at this stage. However, we do believe the boy was murdered in the UK. It is a horrendous crime and we need anyone with any information to contact us."

A £50,000 reward has been offered for information leading to arrests in the case.

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