A TEENAGER accused of murdering 16-year-old Yemurai Kanyangarara was given a lift home by a policeman on the day of the killing, a court has heard.

Two 16-year-olds and a 15-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, all deny murdering Yemurai on July 1 last year in Upper Wickham Lane, Welling.

The Old Bailey heard one of the 16-year-old defendants had been involved in an incident three days earlier on June 28, which was being investigated by police.

The detective investigating the incident, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the court the boy suffered a stab wound to the head and was wearing a plaster.

He visited the boy’s home address on June 29 to find out more information.

Peter Finnigan, prosecuting, said: “Who did he say he had been attacked by?”

The detective replied: “He said he had been attacked by three youths from Cherry Boys. He didn’t have any names at that time.”

Jurors were told Cherry Boys are a group of youths from the Cherry Orchard Estate in Charlton.

The detective added: “He explained he was waiting by a bus stop when he said three youths approached him. He saw a knife and then ran.”

Jurors were told the boy was with two of his friends - the other defendants accused of murdering Yemuari.

Mr Finnigan said: “What did he say had happened when he ran?”

The detective replied: “At one stage he said he fell over in the middle of the road. One of the suspects had slashed him with a knife on the forehead.”

When leaving the defendant’s home the detective advised him to “keep calm and not seek retribution or revenge and to leave the investigation to me.”

On the day Yemurai was killed the 16-year-old defendant had arranged to visit Plumstead Police Station with his two friends to identify his alleged attackers.

Jurors were shown CCTV footage of the defendant on his own at the police station at 5.41pm.

Mr Finnigan said: “Did you ask him any questions about where he had been that afternoon?”

The detective said: “I just asked where the other two boys were. He said they had to do something else and they may come later.”

The court heard the defendant identified his alleged attackers on two You Tube clips.

None of these people were Yemurai or his friends.

The detective then drove the 16-year-old boy home.

Mr Finnigan said: “Was there anything in his demeanour that alerted you that he might have been involved in a violent incident 50 minutes before?

The detective answered: “No”.

Jurors were previously told that Yemurai and his three friends boarded a 96 bus at Bexleyheath clock tower which travelled behind the bus which the defendants were on.

It is alleged that the defendants made their way to the stop where Yemurai was going to get off and attacked him.

A man, who was in a shop at the time of the attack, went outside after hearing a boy had been stabbed.

The witness, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had a first aid kit with him.

He told the court: “I walked out the door and took gloves out of the first aid kit.

“I looked to my left and there was a boy walking towards me about five meters away, holding his neck.

“He came towards me and asked me to help him.”

The man sat Yemurai down and applied pressure to the wound until an ambulance arrived.

Mr Finnigan told him: “Other witnesses described your actions as heroic on that day.”

The trial continues.