Coronavirus: £11,000 raised for ‘good and caring’ railway worker who died after being spat on

Belly Mujinga, 47, was on duty at London’s Victoria station when man ‘asked what she was doing before spitting and coughing’ on her and colleague

More than £11,000 has been raised for a “good and caring” railway ticket office worker who died with coronavirus after being spat on at work.

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

Both women fell ill with the virus, and Ms Mujinga, who had an 11-year-old daughter, died in hospital in Barnet on 5 April, 11 days after the attack.

An online fundraiser set up to raise £1,000 for her family has already surpassed its target, with £11,075 raised by Wednesday morning.

Ms Mujinga’s husband, Lusamba Gode Katalay, described how the suspect walked up to his wife on 22 March and spat in her face.

He said: “The man asked her what she was doing, why she was there, and she said they were working.

“The man said he had the virus and spat on them. They reported it to their supervisor.

“Belly came home and told me everything.”

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 2 April, where she was later put on a ventilator.

“That was the last time I saw her,” Mr Katalay said. “We just said ‘Be good’, and that God is in charge.

Railway worker and mother-of-one Belly Mujinga, 47 (right), who has died with coronavirus after being spat at while on duty at Victoria Station, in London. (Family Handout/Belly Mujinga/PA)

“We did a WhatsApp video in hospital, but then I didn’t hear from her again. I thought she might be asleep, but the doctor phoned me to tell me she had died.”

Mr Katalay and their daughter Ingrid were two of just 10 people allowed at Ms Mujinga’s funeral, in line with social distancing measures, on 29 April.

Ms Mujinga was originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo and moved to the UK in 2000.

Mr Katalay described his wife as a “good person, a good mother, and a good wife”.

He added: “She gave her friendship to many people. She was a caring person and would take care of everybody.”

The attack on Ms Mujinga, who had underlying respiratory problems, has been widely condemned, with Boris Johnson describing it as “utterly appalling” during prime minister’s questions on Wednesday.

The prime minister said: “Yesterday this House learnt of the tragic death of Belly Mujinga. The fact that she was abused for doing her job is utterly appalling.

“My thoughts, and I’m sure the thoughts of the whole House, are with her family.”

Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) general secretary Manuel Cortes saying he was “shocked and devastated” at the death.

The prime minister’s official spokesman, meanwhile, said: “It is despicable for a key worker to be attacked in this way while serving the travelling public.”

Transport secretary Grant Shapps on Tuesday said 42 Transport for London (TfL) workers and 10 Network Rail employees, including train operation companies, have died with Covid-19 so far, although it is not known if their deaths were connected to their jobs.

Angie Doll, managing director of Southern Railway and Gatwick Express which is owned by Govia Thameslink Railway, said the company was investigating claims about the way staff handled Ms Mujinga’s case, adding: “We take any allegations extremely seriously.”

British Transport Police are also investigating the incident.

Anyone with information is asked to contact BTP by texting 61016 or calling 0800 405040 and quoting reference 359 of 11/05/20.

Additional reporting by Press Association.