Shock and sorrow ripple through Dundee and Zimbabwe after the killing of Dr Fortune Gomo, a rising scientist whose life was cut short just weeks before her 40th birthday.
Dr Gomo, who moved to the UK a decade ago and earned her PhD from Dundee University, died after being found with fatal injuries on South Road in the city’s Lochee area on Saturday afternoon.
Court Appearance as Grief Spreads
Kyler Rattray, a 20-year-old from Dundee, has appeared in private at Dundee Sheriff Court charged with murder. He made no plea and was remanded in custody.
Police Scotland confirmed Dr Gomo had been treated by paramedics but died at the scene. A statement from the Zimbabwean embassy says she was fatally stabbed.
Dr Gomo had only recently started a new role at Scottish Water — a milestone in what friends and family describe as a journey defined by resilience and brilliance.
Zimbabwe’s Embassy Steps In
This case has reverberated far beyond Dundee. The Zimbabwean embassy in London has sent a team to Dundee to support Dr Gomo’s family and to liaise with Scottish authorities.
In their statement, the embassy said it would ensure that “Zimbabwean citizens are treated with dignity and that justice is pursued diligently.”
It’s a rare move that underscores just how deeply Dr Gomo’s story has struck a chord in Zimbabwe, where she was born in Mutare in the country’s eastern highlands.
‘Deputy Parent’ and Scholar
Back in Harare, Dr Gomo’s brother, Regis Nyatsanza, spoke to the BBC about the family’s heartbreak.
He called his sister the “deputy parent” — the eldest of four siblings, the one who shouldered extra responsibility, always pushing for everyone to do better.
Just two weeks ago, the family had been laughing together about throwing her a big 40th birthday bash. But Dr Gomo said she’d already achieved what she wanted — a quiet celebration would do.
Regis said, “After all the struggle she had everything she wanted.”
One line hits like a punch: she had everything — until she didn’t.
Friends Mourn a Bright Light
Tributes have poured in from friends who knew Dr Gomo in Zimbabwe and Scotland.
Angela Machonesa, a friend who studied with her at school and university, posted on Facebook about the shock of losing someone so gifted, so compassionate.
“She was the kind of person you’d go to when you needed clarity, not just of mind, but of heart,” Angela wrote. “We are heartbroken. We are angry. We are disoriented.”
But the message that echoes through it all is simple: Fortune Gomo mattered. Her life, her legacy, must not fade into another sad statistic.
A Community Left With Questions
Locals in Dundee’s Lochee area are shaken by the violence that unfolded on an ordinary Saturday afternoon.
A neighbour said: “It’s not what you expect to see in the middle of the day. The community is rattled.”
Police have appealed for any witnesses or anyone with dashcam footage to come forward as they continue to piece together what happened.
A Scientist Remembered, A Family Broken
Dr Gomo’s story is one of talent, sacrifice and promise. From Mutare to a PhD at Dundee, to helping safeguard Scotland’s water supply — her work was making a difference.
Her friends say they will fight to keep her memory alive. Her family back in Zimbabwe are preparing for a funeral they never imagined.
And in a quiet room somewhere, there’s probably a birthday cake that never got made.
