HUNDREDS of mourners gathered today to pay their respects to murdered Catford teenager Kwame Ofosu-Asare.

The congregation at his funeral in Brownhill Road Baptist Church, Catford, included his family, friends, teachers, football coaches and Lewisham East MP Heidi Alexander.

Kwame’s coffin was covered with a traditional Ghanaian kenti cloth with a single rose laid on top and both a Union Jack and Ghanaian flag were displayed in the church.

In a written tribute in the order of service, Kwame’s mother Nana Konto said: “I was overwhelmed with grief when I heard the news about the death of my beloved son.

“In times like these the best I could do was to go down on my knees and offer a prayer to God, because he knows why such an awful death as this could happen.”

Kofi, Kwame’s older brother read the first of five tributes at the service, saying: “I never in a trillion years imagined life without you. Sad. How cruel the world can be.

“They say nothing’s certain in this world but death - yours came way too early.”

Tributes were also read by the 17-year-old’s football coaches, friends, and father and on behalf of his headteacher at Forest Hill School, Steve Brady.

The congregation was shown a video clip of aspiring rapper Kwame performing a song. This was followed by the performance of a song especially composed and written for him by one of his best friends, Dejan.

Dr Kwaku Ofosu-Asare, the teenager’s father, was the last to read a tribute and in it he said he wished to transfer his recently acquired PhD to his late son.

On the evening of March 2, Kwame was stabbed 15 times as he walked through the Moorlands Estate in Brixton with a friend, following a recording session at a nearby music studio.

A 17-year-old boy from Camberwell, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and 18-year-old Nathaniel Okusanya from Lambeth are due to appear at the Old Bailey on July 9, charged with murder.