WALTHAMSTOW: Family asks for help to lay murdered loved-one to rest

2:19pm Thursday 24th July 2008

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THE family of a Walthamstow stab victim has launched an appeal to send their son’s body back to be buried in his homeland.

Yusufu Miiro, 20, was stabbed to death in St David’s Court, Forest Road, sparking a hunt for his masked murderer.

Yusufu’s stepfather Yusef Nsubuga is desperate to raise £3,000 so that the young man’s body can be sent to his birthplace in Uganda, Africa, to be buried alongside his ancestors.

Mr Nsubuga, 49, has been caring for Yusufu’s young sisters and brother since their mother’s death, and is unable to raise the money alone. He is appealing to the generosity of the public to help his stepson reach his final resting place.

He said: “It is very important to me because it is part of our culture for somebody to be buried at home, because we have a cemetery there and all my ancestors are buried in the same place, so we want to take him back.

“We want him to return home to his roots. We feel that he cannot rest because he was murdered so we want the body to be buried at home for him to have peace.

“Because of the trauma of his death I want to take him – as soon as the police will allow us.”

After his stepson was killed in the stairwell of St David’s Court on the evening of July 10, a massive murder hunt was launched by police, and Mr Nsubuga and his children have been waiting anxiously for news of an arrest so that they can proceed with funeral arrangements.

But the family are still waiting for the body of the young sociology and criminology student to be released by the coroner, and once that happens they want to arrange for the body to be sent to Uganda, from where Yusufu emigrated seven years ago.

Mr Nsubuga, of Maryland Square, Stratford, said: “I am being patient because I have to be patient for the police to catch the killer.

“I want the investigations to carry on and if they catch the killer it will help me because then I can take his body home.”

Last Friday Mr Nsubuga visited St David’s Court in Walthamstow to try to piece together the final moments that led to his stepson’s death. He was reassured to see many officers in the tower block continuing with their inquiries.

He said: “I saw the exact place where they killed him and talked about it to the police. I was trying to get a better idea in my mind about what happened.”

There have been no arrests at present. Officers investigating the murder of Yusufu Miiro are appealing for anyone who was in the area of Wood Street train station around the time of the incident, at 8.38pm on Thursday, July 10, to contact them with information.

It is believed the killer fled towards Wood Street station after attacking Mr Miiro in St David’s Court, which stands between Parkstone Road and Forest Road.

The man being sought is black, in his late teens or early 20s, 6ft 2ins tall, of slim build, wearing a dark hooded top and possibly wearing a white mask.

Anyone who can help should call the incident room on 8345 3775 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.