Family demands man is named over rail worker’s death

THE FAMILY of a railway worker who died with Covid-19 after allegedly being spat at have called for police to disclose the suspect’s name.

Belly Mujinga, 47, inset, died on April 5 last year with coronavirus after she was reportedly coughed on and spat at days earlier by a white customer at London’s Victoria station.

British Transport Police (BTP) interviewed a 57-year-old man over the incident but said there was not enough evidence that a crime had taken place.

A lawyer for Mrs Mujinga’s family, Lawrence Davies, said the force had refused to disclose the suspect’s name, preventing them from pursuing a private prosecution and further civil claims.

Speaking on the anniversary of the university graduate’s death yesterday, Mr Davies said: “We are pushing for two things, an inquest and the name of the man who (allegedly) assaulted her. But the BTP won’t give the name. They have stonewalled me since September, so the family has complained to the IOPC (Independent Office for Police Conduct).”

Mr Davies said the family was seeking the suspect’s name so they could consider suing him for harassment and assault. They are also considering a civil claim against Mrs Mujinga’s employer, Govia Thameslink Railway, he added.

Members of Mrs Mujinga’s family, including her husband Lusamba, attended a vigil outside Victoria. Sonali Bhattacharyya, a volunteer with the Justice for Belly campaign group, said campaigners were calling for an inquest into her death and a public inquiry to determine if GTR was culpable.

She said: “We’re here today on the first anniversary of Belly Mujinga’s death, united in anger and grief.

“A year on, and her family still have no answers. They still wait for justice.” Detectives investigating the death found there was insufficient evidence of spitting or another action that could lead to infection and concluded Mrs Mujinga’s death did not occur because of that incident.

A coroner is deciding whether to hold an inquest.

Mrs Mujinga was working as a sales clerk at the time of the confrontation. BTP asked the Crown Prosecution Service to review the evidence and look into whether there were any further lines of inquiry, but prosecutors ruled out homicide charges.

PICTURE: PA WIRE SEEKING JUSTICE: Lusamba Katalay, husband of Belly Mujinga, joins activists at a vigil at Victoria station in London to mark the first anniversary of the death of rail worker Belly Mujinga who died with Covid-19 following reports she had been spat by a customer at Victoria station.