Jailed for life after killing her in their Northolt home

A husband who stabbed his wife 30 times in a jealous rage after he thought she was having affairs with other men has been jailed for life.

Richard Nyawanda Otunga, of Taywood Road, Northolt, stabbed Shamim Gabriel on 29 December at their home.

Otunga was found guilty today(Thursday, 10 July) at the Old Bailey of murder.

He was remanded in custody and will be sentenced on Monday, 14 July, at the Old Bailey.

Police were called at approximately 07:00hrs on Sunday, 29 December to a residential address on Taywood Road, Northolt following reports of an injured woman.

Officers and London Ambulance Service attended. The 33-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the scene at 07:25hrs.

She was identified as Shamim Gabriel, 33, the wife of Otunga. They had been married since 2003 and had an eight-year-old daughter.

Otunga was arrested at the scene after he called his father in law to the address following the stabbing stating he had had an argument with his wife.

He was subsequently charged with murder.

Otunga claimed his wife tried to attack him with a knife which he took off her and in the course of the struggle she was stabbed over 30 times.

Detective Chief Inspector Chris Jones of the Homicide and Major Crime Command (HMCC) said: "Richard Otunga was a jealous controlling man who could not accept his wife having any contact with other men.

''Otunga tried to convince the jury that he had feared an immediate threat of violence from his wife and then lost control. The jury clearly did not accept this and have returned a verdict of murder.

"He tried to state that his wife had been having affairs but there was no evidence whatsoever to substantiate this.

The family of Shamim who have had to give evidence at court have acted with great dignity and I hope that this conviction can be some comfort for them."

Today at the Old Bailey he was given a life sentence and ordered to serve a minimum of 22 years.

11th July 2014