A court has heard that Vivienne Baraka, 35, sent a desperate text to her mother asking her to call 999 hours before she was found dead on her bathroom floor. Her former partner, Alvin Gitahi, 44, is on trial for murder, having been the only other person in the property when she was found dead on March 26 2024.
Desperate Plea for Help
Prosecutor Charlotte Newell KC told Southwark Crown Court that Ms Baraka – known to friends and family as Viv – had told her mother and police officers about a pattern of violent attacks and threats by Gitahi. The relationship had been a tempestuous one, and Viv had spoken to police in 2022 and 2023, telling them Alvin had become violent towards her when he was drunk.
Ms Newell said Ms Baraka's mother, Nancy, received a text message from her daughter on the afternoon of the day she died. "It said she was in danger, she was in her house. It was a message asking Nancy to call 999, and that was particularly chilling as it suggested that Viv felt unable to be seen or heard making a call to the police herself and needed somebody else to do it."
Pattern of Abuse
The court heard Ms Baraka had told her mother about a pattern of abuse by Gitahi, but said she feared calling the police or trying to leave him because he "would kill her." The prosecutor said Ms Baraka spoke to police in January 2022 when she was found by officers "cowering" inside her bathroom. She said Gitahi "had a history of violent conduct towards her," and she recounted being punched in the face the previous December when she said Gitahi also bit her finger and strangled her.
Jurors heard Ms Baraka told officers about Gitahi putting his hands around her throat and applying pressure "at random times," particularly when he had been drinking. Ms Newell said Ms Baraka said she had managed to retreat to the bathroom in the January 2022 incident, when she believed Gitahi was about to throttle her, and he had then removed the door handle to prevent her from leaving.
Escalating Violence
In August 2022, Ms Baraka told her mother that she had been punched in the eye, and in April 2023 her mother overheard an argument between her daughter and Gitahi when she was "begging him not to strangle her." Ms Newell said police were called and they found a "tearful" Ms Baraka saying again that Gitahi had "strangled her." "Viv told the attending police officer in April 2023 that Alvin threatened her and she was scared of what he could do to her."
Discovery of Body
Jurors heard a 999 call was made by Nancy at 3.14pm and when police officers arrived at Ms Baraka's property 20 minutes later they were eventually let in by Gitahi. "On entering, Viv could clearly be seen through the open door of the bathroom, collapsed on the floor and unresponsive," said Ms Newell. Police officers found her dead on the bathroom floor of her home in Ealing, west London, with bruising to her face and neck and burst blood vessels in her eyes.
Defence Claims
After Ms Baraka was found dead, Gitahi told police she had been drinking heavily and taking drugs. But Ms Newell told the court tests revealed she had a low level of alcohol in her system and was not on drugs. "There is no suggestion by Mr Gitahi that he acted in self-defence," the prosecutor said, "He says he did not touch Viv. He continues to maintain he did not assault or in any way touch Viv or cause her death, and he is not responsible for her death." The trial continues.
