Defendant Claims Trauma Over Death of Deaf Woman in Dagenham
A man known by the nickname "Nasty" has denied punching a deaf woman and leaving her to die in a Dagenham street, telling jurors at the Old Bailey that he remains "traumatized" by the incident. Duane Owusu, 36, from Dagenham, is accused of murdering 27-year-old Zahwa Mukhtar during the early hours of August 16 last year.
Altercation in Overcrowded Mercedes
According to prosecution evidence, Owusu allegedly threw Ms. Mukhtar out of an overcrowded Mercedes car in Chadwell Heath, Romford, and struck her with a single blow to the neck. The defendant and his friends had encountered Ms. Mukhtar after attending a rave in Hackney, east London. Owusu described the atmosphere as generally "friendly" as they inhaled laughing gas from balloons in the early morning hours.
Ms. Mukhtar appeared to be intoxicated and under the influence of drugs but seemed "happy," though a "bit wild," according to Owusu's testimony. When the group headed home to Dagenham, the victim jumped into the car and sat on Owusu's lap. A "stupid argument" then erupted between Ms. Mukhtar and two other women, which "escalated into a brawl" inside the vehicle.
Defendant's Version of Events
Owusu claimed that Ms. Mukhtar had pulled one woman's hair and threatened to "stab" and "kill" someone. When asked by his defense barrister Michael Borrelli KC whether he perceived this as a real threat, Owusu replied: "I didn't know what to expect. I didn't know what she was capable of."
The defendant told jurors he took Ms. Mukhtar's phone because he feared she would escalate the situation by filming them. He then asked the driver to stop because things had "gone too far" and he planned to call her an Uber. Owusu said he threw her mobile phone out in an attempt to get Ms. Mukhtar to leave the car.
"I was agitated she was refusing to get out of the car and holding onto me," Owusu testified.
CCTV Evidence and Physical Contact
In CCTV footage shown to jurors, Ms. Mukhtar could be seen sitting on the pavement with Owusu allegedly kicking out twice. The defendant denied aiming for her head or making any contact, stating: "I was trying to kick her legs away to create distance from the car back wheel. I had no reason to kick a young lady in the head."
After Ms. Mukhtar got up, Owusu said he "pushed" her but denied using a clenched fist. "I was not trying to cause any harm or danger. I just had enough. I just wanted to de-escalate and be done with it," he told the court.
When asked by his defense barrister whether he intended to cause any harm, Owusu responded: "No. I just shoved her out of the way to get in the car first. I didn't think it was anything serious. I thought because she had been drinking and on drugs, she had lost her balance as well."
Aftermath and Police Intervention
Having left Ms. Mukhtar on the ground, the Mercedes came to police attention when Owusu opened a door while the vehicle was still moving. Owusu testified that his concern then shifted to the cannabis in his pocket and the possibility of a police search.
"Initially, when the police stopped us, my mind completely switched. I was worried about police searching my home address," Owusu said. "It crossed my mind she could be walking down the road at any moment and say something to the police."
When asked whether he considered that Ms. Mukhtar might be fatally injured, Owusu stated: "No, not at all. I did not believe she was hurt severely or badly."
Discovery of Victim and Medical Evidence
After dealing with the stop-and-search, officers found Ms. Mukhtar after two members of the public reported a woman lying a short distance down the road. She had suffered a fractured skull and brain injury and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Throughout his testimony, Owusu emphasized his emotional state regarding the incident. "I had no intention to cause any harm. I'm still traumatized by the fact she passed away. I've not stopped thinking about it," he told jurors.
Duane Owusu denies both murder and the alternative charge of manslaughter. The Old Bailey trial continues as the court examines the conflicting accounts of what happened during those early morning hours in Dagenham.
