‘Cult’ riddle of missing lawyer as husband says: She asked for a divorce
THE husband of a lawyer who vanished after dropping off her daughter on the school run has revealed she recently asked for a divorce after 23 years of marriage – and claims she walked out on the family to join a sect.
Renata Antczak was last seen more than two weeks ago, after taking her daughter Victoria, 11, to school before returning to her home. The 49-year-old left the house at 1pm on April 25 and has not been seen since.
Speaking for the first time since she disappeared in an exclusive interview with The Mail on Sunday, her husband Majid Mustafa revealed his wife had asked for a divorce in March and wanted to return to her native Poland, taking Victoria with her.
He said: ‘She said she was going to find a job and would put Victoria in a Polish school. I said I didn’t accept that. I said, “If you want to go to Poland and leave us and find a job, I don’t think it’s a good idea to take Victoria.”
‘I was really surprised because there was nothing really wrong. I told her people divorce for more serious reasons, but she said no, she wanted a divorce. She wanted to be independent.’
Mr Mustafa said his wife’s plan had been to take Victoria back to Poland this summer.
According to dentist Mr Mustafa, 47, the request for a divorce followed months of increasingly bizarre behaviour, in which her interest in alternative medicines had turned into ‘an obsession’.
He believes she had joined a sect in Poland and kept in touch with members by phone. He said: ‘She started to wear different jewellery,
‘Mum, we love you... let us know you are OK’
especially a gold necklace, which she said took the bad energy from her. She started to contact people we didn’t know, and at home would light candles everywhere.
‘After she’d gone we found some of her writing. It talked about her feeling free, free from relationships, free from everything.
‘One sentence said: “I don’t have any obligation to anyone.” I think she’s joined a sect. I don’t know what it’s called, but think she had contact with them when she went to Poland.’
Mr Mustafa said the family had celebrated Victoria’s birthday at home in Hull three weeks early at his wife’s request on April 8, although the girl did not turn 11 until April 30 – five days after her mother had vanished.
Elder daughter Magda, 20, a student, said the family is desperate for the mother to make contact.
She said: ‘Mum, we love you. Just let us know you’re OK and that you can hopefully come back to us when you’re ready to. We can forget everything and start over. For now, please just contact us.’
A Humberside Police spokesman said last night: ‘Mr Mustafa has passed his theory on to us and it is something that’s being considered.
‘But at the moment we have no evidence that corroborates that.’
The spokesman confirmed that inquiries were being conducted in Poland regarding an unconfirmed sighting of the missing lawyer.