Murder victim's family demands names of other mob attackers

The family of Mavi Fundakubi, killed by a mob in Motherwell on Saturday,  has demanded that the suspect in custody name his fellow attackers.

Fundakubi was killed after being falsely accused of raping a seven-year-old girl in an attack led by the father of the child. It emerged later, however, that the child had not been raped or physically harmed.

The 36-year-old father was arrested on Tuesday and appeared before the Motherwell Magistrate’s Court on a charge of murder on Thursday morning. He is not being named to protect the identity of his daughter.

The distraught family huddled together during the court proceedings.

Speaking to The Herald outside court, one of Fundakubi’s seven children a fuming daughter, Athenkosi Fundakubi, 29, said the family demanded he name all those who helped to attack and kill their father.

“My father’s soul will never rest in peace, not after how he died. We demand all those who were involved in his death be arrested and prosecuted,” Athenkosi said.

“We want his wife and the girl to come out. They are the ones who started this. Now they must go back to the community and announce that my father never raped their daughter and they killed an innocent man.”

The charge sheet states that he (the father) assaulted Fundakubi, 52, “with his hands and other unknown objects”.  

The court opposed bail for the suspect and the case was postponed to Monday February 7 for the man to obtain his private legal representative.

He was remanded in custody.