Deaf Accountant Zahwa Mukhtar Killed in Brutal Night Out Assault
A profoundly deaf young woman was senselessly killed after befriending a thug who punched her to death during a night out, a court has heard. Aspiring accountant Zahwa Mukhtar, aged 27, died after she was knocked to the ground by Duane Owusu in August last year.
Fatal Encounter with Strangers
Ms Mukhtar had not met Owusu or his friends before she found herself crammed into a car with them following a night out in Stoke Newington, north London. The court heard that Owusu allegedly kicked her out of the vehicle for filming something on her phone.
Prosecutor Henrietta Paget KC stated: 'This case concerns the senseless killing of a vulnerable young woman, Zahwa Mukhtar, who had fallen in with a group of strangers on a night out. Among them was the defendant, Duane Owusu.'
Vicious Assault Captured on Footage
Jurors were shown harrowing footage of the moment Ms Mukhtar was ejected from a silver Mercedes owned and driven by another group member, Leron Parris. The prosecutor explained that the occupants had been drinking and taking drugs, including Ms Mukhtar.
'You will hear evidence that she was behaving erratically within the vehicle - flirting with the boys and picking fights with the girls,' Ms Paget said. 'Nobody knew her, and it appears that her behaviour was causing increasing annoyance.'
As the vehicle approached Chadwell Heath, Ms Mukhtar began recording a video on her phone, which prosecutors described as the trigger for Owusu's actions.
Brutal Attack Details
The footage showed Owusu—who uses the nickname 'Nasty' and had been at a rave—throwing Ms Mukhtar's mobile phone out of a rear passenger door before ejecting her from the car once it stopped. Ms Paget detailed: 'She landed on her backside on the pavement. Getting out after her, he aimed two kicks at her face as she sat on the ground.'
One female group member attempted to intervene but was swung aside. Ms Mukhtar managed to get to her feet and pleaded with Owusu to stop, but he punched her hard in the neck, knocking her to the ground where she lay motionless.
The court heard that she fell with such force that she suffered a fractured skull and fatal brain injury, described by the prosecution as a 'sickening thud.'
Abandoned and Left to Die
Instead of helping her, Owusu shouted at the others to get back in the car, and Parris drove away, leaving Ms Mukhtar dying on the ground. 'And so it was that Ms Mukhtar was left to die,' the prosecutor concluded.
Victim's Background and Legacy
Ms Mukhtar worked as a finance assistant at the Young Vic Theatre in Waterloo, where she was remembered as 'bright, bubbly, enthusiastic and very eager to learn.' Despite being profoundly deaf, she coped well with her disability through adept lip-reading and sign language.
The court noted that while she came from a traditional family background, she had made it clear that she wanted to live like any other young person in their twenties, embracing independence and social activities.
Trial Proceedings
Owusu, aged 36 and from Dagenham, denies charges of murder and manslaughter. The trial at the Old Bailey continues, with further evidence expected to be presented in the coming days.
