Belly Mujinga’s inquest to take place this summer, coroner confirms

The inquest of railway station worker Belly Mujinga will be held this summer, more than two years after she died with coronavirus, a coroner has confirmed.

Andrew Walker, senior coroner for North London, said the inquest would start on June 27 and last for up to seven days.

Before then, an independent scientific expert specialising in diseases will be brought in to help identify the issues to be explored and the witnesses potentially required to give evidence, Mr Walker said during a 35-minute hearing in Barnet on Tuesday afternoon.

Mrs Mujinga, 47, died with coronavirus on April 5 2020, days after she was reportedly coughed on and spat at by a customer at London’s Victoria station.

British Transport Police interviewed a 57-year-old man over the incident but said there was not enough evidence to prove a crime had been committed.

Mrs Mujinga’s husband, Lusamba Gode Katalay, and her daughter, Ingrid, were two of only 10 people permitted at her funeral due to coronavirus restrictions in place at the time.

Mrs Mujinga’s death prompted an outpouring of grief and demand for answers about what happened.