Ealing man jailed for life for strangling partner

Alvin Gitahi, 44, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his partner, Vivienne Baraka, 35. The killing occurred on March 26, 2024, at their shared flat on Uxbridge Road in Ealing. Ms Baraka was found dead in a bathroom where she had attempted to hide from Gitahi during the fatal attack, which lasted between 40 and 45 minutes. Gitahi, a former Heathrow Airport worker, was ordered by Southwark Crown Court on 23 October 2026 to serve a minimum term of 21 years and three months.

History of domestic abuse

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Prosecutor Charlotte Newell KC told Southwark Crown Court that Ms Baraka had been strangled. The court heard that Gitahi and Ms Baraka met in March 2021, and she moved in with him a few weeks later. By August 2021, Ms Baraka had begun confiding in her mother, Nancy Njoora, about Gitahi's abusive behaviour. Ms Baraka would often speak to her mother from the bathroom, stating she was scared of Gitahi and that he had told her not to contact her family.

The judge, Dexter Dias KC, recounted an incident on January 26, 2022, when Ms Baraka was pregnant. She called her mother from the bathroom, stating Gitahi had tried to strangle her. Police were called to the property, and officers found Ms Baraka still in the bathroom. The door handle had been removed from the outside, preventing her escape until an officer fixed it. Ms Baraka told police about a history of abusive conduct, including incidents where Gitahi had applied pressure to her neck until she cried out that she was having their baby. He had previously strangled her at various times, telling her "I will finish you". Ms Baraka had indicated to police that Gitahi was violent when drinking alcohol.

Fatal attack and sentencing

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On the day of the fatal attack, March 26, 2024, Ms Baraka called her mother at 2:50pm, crying. The call disconnected, and Ms Baraka subsequently sent messages stating "Call the police, I'm in danger". Her mother contacted the police, who attended the flat. After receiving no response at the door, officers began to force entry. Gitahi opened the door, and police discovered Ms Baraka in the bathroom. Paramedics attempted to save her but pronounced her dead at the scene. As reported by MyLondon, Gitahi later threw Ms Baraka's mobile phone out of the window after 3:09pm, which was her last communication.

Gitahi pleaded not guilty to murder and was convicted following a trial in August 2026. Addressing Gitahi, Judge Dias stated he had shown "absolutely no remorse" and continued to deny his guilt. He added that Gitahi showed "no insight into your violent conduct towards women generally, and this vulnerable and talented woman in particular". Ms Baraka's mother provided a statement describing her daughter as her "best friend" and stating that while justice had been done, it could not bring her back. Friends of Ms Baraka also submitted a statement remembering her as a "loving, irreplaceable friend".

Gitahi is survived by the four-year-old daughter he shared with Ms Baraka.