The family of a woman believed to have been stabbed to death by a stranger yards from her Brixton flat have described her as “beautiful and kind hearted”.
Johanita Dogbey, 31, was said to have been on the phone to her grandmother who heard a “terrible scream” when she was attacked from behind during the brutal daylight attack near Brixton’s O2 Academy on Bank Holiday Monday.
Her heartbroken family have paid tribute to her. Through tears, her father Yao told MailOnline: “We have no words at this moment. My daughter was beautiful and kind hearted. I’m sorry, I can’t say anything more.”
Ms Dogbey’s younger brother Maurice told the site: “We are trying to understand what has happened and are completely broken. As far as we know there was no link between my sister and the attacker. We are waiting to meet with the police to get a full update.
“This whole thing has left us devastated. It’s too much for us.”
Ms Dogbey was the founder of the Odette Foundation, a charity which worked with people suffering from sickle cell in Ghana and Togo.
A colleague at the foundation told the Standard: “She really was a good person.
“I’m working behind the scenes and on the social media of the charity. I’m not sure how I will ever be able to continue without her.”
Detectives believe that she was walking along when she was attacked from behind by a man she did not know.
Police said on Tuesday a 33-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of murder. Detectives have been granted an extra 36 hours to question the man who is currently in police custody.
Several relatives were seen praying at the scene hours after the attack at around at around 4.04pm on Monday in Stockwell Park Walk, Lambeth, south London.
A resident said Ms Dogbey , believed to be of Ghanaian descent, had been on her way to the flat she shares with her mother, father, brother and sister for a birthday celebration.
The mother-of-two, 52, told the Standard: “I was with her dad at the crime scene.
“He said his daughter had gone to buy a present for her mother and was on her way home.
“She was on the phone to her grandmother when she was attacked. The grandmother heard a terrible scream and then the phone dropped. The grandmother phoned the dad who then tried to call his daughter’s number but got no answer.”
Officers applied for a warrant of further detention at Croydon Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 2 May following the arrest of a 33-year-old man on suspicion of murder.
Detective Chief Superintendent Seb Adjei-Addoh, local policing commander for Lambeth, said: “I am in regular contact with officers leading the investigation into this brutal attack and my thoughts continue to be with the woman’s family and friends as they come to terms with this awful news. We will do everything we can to support them at this unimaginably difficult time.
“I recognise that the community will be experiencing worry and considerable concern and we have extra officers out in the community to answer questions and provide a visible presence.
“My police neighbourhood policing teams have visited local community centres and businesses taking on board concerns and to ensure we are having the right conversations with local people at this time.
“I would also ask people to share anything that they feel might help the investigating detectives.”
Formal identification is yet to take place and a post-mortem examination has been arranged for Wednesday 3 May.
