THE mother of Kodjo Yenga, the 16-year-old schoolboy stabbed to death in a gang attack last week, spoke for the first time yesterday about her “good Christian” son.

Clutching his photograph, Ladjua Lesele said: “My son was lovely boy.”

Kodjo, an A-level student born in Congo, died on Wednesday after being stabbed through the heart while walking with his girlfriend in Hammersmith, west London.

Yesterday, 30 of his relatives gathered at the murder scene to sing hymns and call for an end to knife culture.

One young female family member cried: “No revenge”. In a statement released by police, his mother said: “I miss Kodjo and I will miss him for ever. My boy was very mature for his age, polite and very neat with his character. He was a boy that took very good care of himself.

“He always obeyed me and he took good care of the house. He was very ambitious and worked hard on his studies.”

She added: “Kodjo was very friendly; he was very popular. My son was never a part of a gang and his name was never in the list of any gang. My son was a good Christian and practised a lot in our religion.”

Four teenagers appeared in court yesterday charged with Kodjo’s murder. The youths, two aged 13, one 15 and one 16, spoke only to confirm their names, ages and addresses during a hearing at west London magistrates’ court. They were remanded in custody to appear at a youth court on Wednesday.

Kodjo, who wanted to be a graphic designer, was the latest teenager to die in a series of violent attacks in the capital. Last month three teenagers were shot dead in separate incidents in south London.

Kodjo gave his views on street crime to MTV earlier this month, saying the media had made too much of it.

Detective Superintendent Vic Rae, who is investigating the killing, said: “We are looking at a nightmare come true for one young man, his family and friends.”

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