The night began with music and a fleeting connection, but ended in a senseless tragedy on a quiet London street. Zahwa Mukhtar, a 27-year-old woman with a vibrant spirit, found herself caught in a whirlwind of recklessness and cruelty that would ultimately claim her life.
Duane Owusu, known by a chilling nickname, encountered Ms. Mukhtar outside a pub near her home. She had crossed paths with his group, already immersed in a night fueled by music, alcohol, and drugs. Invited into their crowded car, she became an unwitting participant in a rapidly escalating situation.
Inside the vehicle, Ms. Mukhtar’s behavior, described as erratic and attention-seeking, began to irritate the occupants. Flirting and minor altercations unfolded as the car journey continued, creating a tense atmosphere that foreshadowed the horror to come.
The situation reached a breaking point when Ms. Mukhtar began recording a video on her phone. Owusu, reacting with sudden violence, ordered the car to stop. He then forcibly ejected her from the moving vehicle, throwing her onto the hard pavement.
The brutality didn’t end there. As Ms. Mukhtar lay stunned on the ground, Owusu unleashed a vicious attack, kicking her in the face and then delivering a devastating punch to the neck. She fell, motionless, while others in the group looked on.
Instead of offering help, Owusu reportedly commanded everyone to return to the car, and they drove away, leaving Ms. Mukhtar to die alone. CCTV footage captured the harrowing scene, a stark testament to the callous disregard for human life.
Ms. Mukhtar suffered a fractured skull and catastrophic brain injury from the fall. Despite the pleas of one woman in the group to assist her, the car disappeared into the night, leaving her vulnerable and abandoned.
Those who knew Zahwa Mukhtar remember her as a bright, enthusiastic young woman with ambitious dreams. Profoundly deaf since childhood, she navigated the world with resilience, mastering lip-reading and British Sign Language. She worked as a finance assistant, striving for a future as an accountant.
She embraced life with a passion for socializing, travel, and good food, wanting nothing more than to experience the world like any other young person. Her family described her as coming from a traditional background, yet she possessed a modern spirit and a zest for living.
The trial continues, with Owusu denying the charges of murder and manslaughter. The courtroom will now grapple with the weight of evidence, seeking to understand the events that led to the tragic and senseless loss of a young woman’s life.
