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By SCM REPORTER, 5 March 2026
A “REMORSELESS” killer who mocked his friend for wanting to help his dying victim has been found guilty of murder today.
Duane Owusu, 36, showed “callous disregard” for 27-year-old Zahwa Mukhtar after he hurled her from a moving vehicle and beat her senseless on a Dagenham roadside.
A jury at the Old Bailey took just hours to convict the thug following a harrowing trial that laid bare the final, terrifying moments of Zahwa’s life.
The court heard how Zahwa had met Owusu and his associates in Hackney in the early hours of Saturday, 16 August last year. After joining the group in their car, a dispute erupted as they drove through Chadwell Heath.
At approximately 4:30 AM, Owusu—described by police as a “callous killer”—flung Zahwa out of the car onto Chadwell Heath Lane.
Not content with leaving her injured, Owusu stepped out of the vehicle to deliver a final, brutal punch before speeding away, leaving the young woman unconscious in the gutter.
In a chilling twist, CCTV later captured Owusu waiting for a taxi, where he was overheard berating a fellow passenger who expressed guilt over the attack.
When the friend suggested they should have turned back to help the dying woman, Owusu reportedly sneered at him, branding him a “weak link.”
Detective Chief Inspector Phil Clarke said:
”The evidence revealed him to be a remorseless killer. CCTV footage painted a damning picture of Owusu’s guilt.”
The Sun can reveal that police actually pulled Owusu over for a routine stop shortly after the murder. While officers found drugs and noted Owusu’s “aggressive” behavior on body-worn cameras, they initially let the car go.
Minutes later, horrified passers-by flagged down the same officers to point out Zahwa’s body nearby. Despite desperate attempts at CPR, she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Zahwa’s family sat with “great dignity” in the gallery as the verdict was read. Owusu, of Althorne Way, Dagenham, remained stony-faced as he was led back to the cells.
He is due to be sentenced on Thursday, 12 March, where he faces a mandatory life term.
Zahwa Mukhtar, 27, had only met her killer hours before her death.
The Met’s Specialist Crime North team used a combination of graphic CCTV of the assault and body-worn video from a “routine” traffic stop to link Owusu to the scene.
The Arrest: Owusu was nabbed on August 17, 2025, but refused to answer a single question during police interviews, maintaining a “no comment” stance until the jury saw the footage for themselves.
