Duane Owusu Found Guilty of Murdering Deaf Woman in Brutal London Street Attack
Duane Owusu, a 36-year-old man, has been convicted of murder at the Old Bailey for the brutal killing of 27-year-old profoundly deaf woman Zahwa Mukhtar in a London street. The jury delivered the guilty verdict on Thursday after hearing harrowing details of the attack that occurred in the early hours of 16 August 2025.
Violent Altercation Leads to Fatal Assault
The court heard that Ms Mukhtar, who worked as a finance assistant at the Young Vic Theatre in London, had never met Owusu before encountering his group in Stoke Newington. She joined them in inhaling laughing gas balloons, and when they decided to return home to Dagenham, she entered their already overcrowded car.
During the journey, an argument erupted between Ms Mukhtar and one of Owusu's female friends. The prosecution stated that Ms Mukhtar pulled the woman's hair and threatened to stab someone. In response, Owusu grabbed Ms Mukhtar's phone and threw it out of the moving vehicle before forcibly ejecting her from the car.
As Ms Mukhtar sat on the pavement, Owusu aimed two kicks at her face. When she attempted to stand up, he delivered a single, powerful punch to her neck that caused her to collapse backwards onto the ground. Graphic CCTV footage captured the entire incident, which was witnessed by Owusu's horrified friends.
Witness Describes "Monster" and Victim's Pleas
Witness Paige Allen provided chilling testimony to the jury, describing how Ms Mukhtar pleaded with Owusu to stop before he landed the fatal blow. "He was just rage. He looked like a monster. His behaviour was just wrong. She just fell. Just fell backwards," Allen told the court. "I went to help her but he screamed at me to get in the car."
After leaving the scene in Chadwell Heath, Owusu and his group were stopped and searched by police a short distance away. They were detained for approximately 50 minutes before officers investigated reports from the public about a woman lying on the pavement further down the road.
Victim Pronounced Dead at Scene
Ms Mukhtar was found unresponsive at 5:31am. Despite immediate efforts by police and paramedics at the scene, she was pronounced dead at 6:21am. A post-mortem examination revealed she had suffered a fractured skull and severe brain injury from the attack.
Owusu had denied punching Ms Mukhtar during his trial, claiming he only pushed her away from the car to "de-escalate" the situation. Giving evidence, he stated: "I did not believe she was hurt severely or badly." He told jurors he had been "traumatised" by what happened and never meant to harm her, denying both murder and the alternative charge of manslaughter.
Previous Criminal History Revealed
Jurors were not informed during the trial that Owusu had previously been jailed for eight years in 2010 for his role as the getaway driver in a botched robbery during which a Matalan shop manager was fatally stabbed. This information about his criminal background emerged separately from the court proceedings.
Dramatic Courtroom Incident
The trial was temporarily halted after Ms Mukhtar's brother, 28-year-old plumber Abas Mukhtar, became overcome by anger and lunged at the defendant in the witness box. The incident left jurors "extremely shaken up," according to court reports.
Judge Richard Marks KC fined Mr Mukhtar £1,000 for contempt of court, describing the incident as "an ugly and sustained attempt at assault." The judge added: "It goes without saying, having seen the incident at close quarters I was absolutely appalled by the incident. I have never in all my years at the bar seen anything like it."
Silence in Court as Verdict Delivered
There was complete silence in the courtroom from both the defendant and the victim's family as the guilty verdict was delivered. Judge Marks remanded Owusu into custody to be sentenced next Thursday.
Detective Chief Inspector Phil Clarke from Scotland Yard said his thoughts were with Ms Mukhtar's family, who had lost their daughter in "horrendous circumstances." He stated: "CCTV footage collected by the investigation team painted a damning picture of Owusu's guilt. The evidence revealed him to be a remorseless killer, who acted with callous disregard towards his victim."
The case has highlighted concerns about violence against vulnerable individuals and the devastating consequences of street altercations that escalate into fatal attacks. Flowers were left at the scene in Chadwell Heath Lane, east London, where Ms Mukhtar died, as the community mourned the loss of the young woman.
