Elianne Andam had ambitions to become a human rights lawyer and was killed standing up for her friend and “doing what she thought was right”, a senior police officer has said.
Detective Chief Inspector Becky Woodsford praised the bravery of Elianne’s friends and family as well as members of the public who tried to save the 15-year-old after she was fatally stabbed outside the Whitgift shopping centre in Croydon, south London.
Despite reeling from shock at the killing in a busy street, the whole community pulled together and helped police bring Elianne’s killer to justice, she said.
Ms Woodsford spoke out as 18-year-old Hassan Sentamu, from New Addington, was found guilty at the Old Bailey of Elianne’s murder and having a knife.
Paying tribute to Elianne, the Metropolitan Police officer, who led the murder investigation, said: “What has really stuck with me is that Elianne always did what she thought was right and stood up for her friend.
“We heard from her family during the course of this investigation that Elianne wanted to be a human rights lawyer.
“She was very passionate about singing and dancing. She was passionate about her church as well.”
On September 27 2023, Elianne had accompanied her friend to meet Sentamu and hand back belongings after they broke up.
When Sentamu turned up without the girl’s teddy bear and love letters, Elianne challenged him and grabbed his bag of clothes and ran away with it.
Ms Woodsford said: “We have heard in court and seen on CCTV Elianne was laughing when she did this. We can see the smile on her face. This was not something that was done with malice. It was done laughing in solidarity with her friend. Standing up and doing what she thought was right.”
Only Sentamu knows why he reacted with violence at the prank, having already armed himself with a kitchen knife from home and donned a mask and gloves, she said.
However, the court had heard that Sentamu had been brooding over an incident the day before when he was splashed with water at an earlier meeting at the Whitgift centre.
Ms Woodsford told the PA news agency: “What we have heard from witnesses and through phone evidence was one of the things Hassan said on the evening before this happened was: ‘I cannot let this slide.’
“We have heard about him contemplating, seething, over what happened the day before Elianne died.
“What made him put on a facemask and two pairs of gloves, take a knife from under the kitchen sink to go and meet three young 15-year-old girls to swap belongings – I don’t think we are ever going to know the answer to that question.”
Elianne was chased and repeatedly stabbed in front of horrified children and parents on their way to school that day as well as three of the teenager’s friends.
Despite being “traumatised” they were able to quickly give a description of the attacker and tell police what had happened, meaning he could be arrested within an hour and a half.
An “eagle-eyed” officer who heard the description of the suspect spotted Sentamu getting off a bus and arrested him before he reached home.
Paying tribute to the young witnesses, she said: “I cannot imagine what they have been through but the bravery they showed in assisting us with that investigation and going through the trauma, I just think shows they were trying to look after their friend and stand up for Elianne and do what was right.”
“The impact it is going to have on them for the rest of their lives, I cannot imagine. I hope the verdict today is going to give them the opportunity to step back and think about what they have done and what they have been through and start to move on with their lives.”
She said the whole community of Croydon had been “devastated and shocked” at what happened but had “opened their doors” to support the investigation.
She hailed the bus driver who held Elianne and comforted her as she was dying at the scene.
Ms Woodsford said: “One of the key things for me is the evidence we heard from the bus driver that tried to save Elianne’s life in those final moments, holding her hand and saying he would not leave her and she would be OK.
“While the evidence has been really challenging I was able to speak to her parents about the fact she was not alone when she died, that she had someone holding her hand, and we were able to facilitate some meetings with those witnesses and her family afterwards and I think that has been really important for them.”
Ms Woodsford said she was “amazed” at the strength Elianne’s family showed in being able to sit through CCTV of her killing and graphic details of the injuries she suffered.
She added: “I have been blown away every day by their bravery, ultimately to fight for justice for Elianne.
“This is a crime that has lost the life of a wonderful 15-year-old girl for no other reason than a shopping bag with a teddy bear – and some water.”