Belly Mujinga: Coroner sorry for rail worker's inquest delay
- Published
Belly Mujinga died with Covid in April 2020
A coroner has apologised to the family of London railway station worker Belly Mujinga for the length of time it is taking for her inquest to be held.
Andrew Walker, sitting in High Barnet, made the remark at the end of a hearing ahead of the inquest, a date for which has still not been set.
Mrs Mujinga, 47, died in 2020 with coronavirus after she was reportedly coughed on and spat at by a passenger.
Mr Walker also offered his "deepest sympathies" to Mrs Mujinga's family.
He added that the inquest "will progress, and it will progress swiftly".
Mrs Mujinga's death prompted an outpouring of grief and demand for answers
British Transport Police (BTP) interviewed a 57-year-old man over the incident, which allegedly happened at London Victoria in April 2020, but said there was not enough evidence that a crime had taken place.
BTP later requested that the CPS carry out an independent review of the case in light of the "wider public interest". More than two million people signed a petition in support of Mrs Mujinga and activists marched for "justice for Belly Mujinga".
Suzanne Llewellyn, deputy chief crown prosecutor, said "enhanced CCTV, forensic materials and witness statements" had been studied to look at whether homicide, assault or public order charges could be brought but the footage was not sufficiently clear.
Mrs Mujinga was originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where she was the first female sports journalist to work for the national broadcaster RTNC, her family said.
She moved to the UK in 2000.
Her husband, Lusamba Gode Katalay, and daughter Ingrid were two of only 10 people permitted at her funeral due to coronavirus restrictions.
A further pre-inquest review is set to be held on 25 January, at which an expert is expected to be assigned to investigate the possible causes of Mrs Mujinga's Covid infection.