The mother of stabbed Harold Hill teen Champion Ganda is pleading with his friends to break their silence and name his killers.

%image(15389499, type="article-full", alt="Champion Ganda, of Harold Hill, was stabbed to death in Forest Gate. Picture: Metropolitan Police")

As a crowd gathered to lay flowers at Champion’s grave on what would have been his 18th birthday yesterday, Peguy Kato, of Redruth Road, renewed her appeal: “Open your mouths and talk.”

%image(15389570, type="article-full", alt="Poignant: Family and friends gathered to lay flowers on what would have been Champion's 18th birthday (photo: Ellie Hoskins)")

After saying prayers over the small wooden cross, Peguy turned to the scores who had joined her to pay their respects.

%image(15389571, type="article-full", alt="'Open your mouths' - Champion's mum Peguy pleads with his friends to break their silence and speak to the police (photo: Ellie Hoskins)")

“You have to open your mouths and help,” she told them, drying her eyes. “Champion’s dead and gone – help him.

%image(15389572, type="article-full", alt="Champion's friends, including Natacha Andoh-Kesson (L), 17, Shayden Watts (second L), 17 and Pamela Da Silva (R), 17 (photo: Ellie Hoskins)")

“Do you think if you had died Champion would be quiet?

%image(15389573, type="article-full", alt="Flowers on Champion's grave included a handwritten note saying: "Still missin you every single day. You will eternally be in my thoughts."")

“You know who they are. Talk to the police. Don’t be quiet – that’s not fair. That’s not love.

“Love is helping Champion’s family, and helping [his killers] to go to jail so my son can be in peace.

“Champion isn’t going to be in peace while you’re quiet – and your life isn’t going to be in peace.”

The aspiring rapper, who performed under the name Chrome and had attended college in Stratford, was stabbed to death in Forest Gate in broad daylight on May 9.

Ten people were subsequently arrested, but no one was charged.

Peguy’s impassioned plea was a departure in mood for what had been a calm gathering.

As they headed to the plot in City of London Crematorium, Manor Park, where Champion is buried, his classmates remembered their friend.

“You couldn’t be sad around him,” said Shayden Watts, 17. “In a silence he would just do something crazy.

“He was unique.”

Pamela Da Silva, 17, added: “It was just so unreal when I heard he was dead. I didn’t believe it.

“It doesn’t even feel like he’s gone – I just feel like he’s gone somewhere and I’ll see him one day in the future.

“It hasn’t hit me that he’s not coming back.

“I haven’t even deleted his number from my phone.”

She added: “He was focused on the people he loved the most – he didn’t care about what was happening out there.”

Tyrone Bell, who went to Kingsford School in Beckton with Champion, said: “If people know [who killed him] they should come forward.

“I’m just upset and I just miss him.”

If you have information about Champion’s death, which happened in Sandringham Road at about 2pm, you can Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. You do not have to give your name.

You can also call the police’s incident room on 020 8345 3775.