Railway worker and mother-of-one died 'after being spat on by man with Covid-19', says family

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Tuesday 12 May 2020 at 8:55am

A railway ticket office worker who died with coronavirus after "being spat at while on duty" was a good person and a good mother, her devastated widower has said.

Belly Mujinga, 47, was on the concourse of Victoria station in London on March 22 when a member of the public who said he had Covid-19 spat and coughed at her and a colleague, according to her family.

Within days of the alleged assault, both women fell ill with the virus.

Ms Mujinga, a mother to 11-year-old Ingrid, was admitted to Barnet Hospital and put on a ventilator but died on April 5, her trade union, the Transport Salaried Staffs Association, said.

Her husband, Lusamba Gode Katalay, claimed the suspect walked up to Ms Mujinga and spat in her face.

Belly Mujinga, 47 (right), who has died after being spat at while on duty Credit: Family handout

Mr Katalay said his wife had an operation four years ago and had underlying respiratory problems.

Within a week of the incident, she began to feel ill and was admitted to hospital on April 2.

Belly Mujinga

Speaking to ITV News her cousin Agnes Ntumba said the family was still mourning.

The union has reported the incident to the Railways Inspectorate, the safety arm of the Office for Road and Rail, for investigation, and is taking legal advice on the situation.

We are shocked and devastated at Belly’s death. She is one of far too many frontline workers who have lost their lives to coronavirus. Sadly, Belly’s is just one of many family tragedies where children have had their parents taken away from them. However, there are serious questions about her death; it wasn’t inevitable. As a vulnerable person in the ‘at risk’ category, and her condition known to her employer, there are questions about why she wasn’t stood down from frontline duties early on in this pandemic. Rather than talking about the easing the lockdown, the Government must first ensure that the right precautions and protections have been taken so that more lives are not lost. Our rail industry needs to have a very serious look at what tasks are deemed ‘essential’ and must put protections in place for all our members and our passengers.

British Transport Police are now investigating, although it is believed a complaint was not registered with them at the time, despite Ms Mujinga and her colleague asking staff at employers Govia Thameslink Railway to contact police, the union said.

A spokesperson for Prime Minister Boris Johnson called the incident "despicable".

"It is despicable for a key worker to be attacked in this way while serving the travelling public," the spokesperson said.

"Our thoughts are with Mrs Mujinga family’s at this terrible time."