The family of a woman who was found dead in a house in North Berwick, Scotland, on New Year’s Day are appealing for help to repatriate her body to Botswana. Keotshepile ‘Naso’ Isaacs, 33, was a mother of two who had been living in the town for more than a year. Her husband, Tapiwa Isaac, 37, has been charged with her murder and is due to appear in court later this month.
A loving mother and daughter
Naso’s family described her as a loving mother and daughter who had a bright future ahead of her. They said she was a hardworking and ambitious woman who had graduated from the University of Botswana with a degree in accounting and finance. She had moved to Scotland with her husband, who worked as a nurse, and their two children, aged 10 and 7.
Naso’s mother, Masego Isaacs, said she was devastated by the loss of her daughter and wanted to bring her home for a proper burial. She said she had spoken to Naso on the phone on New Year’s Eve and had no idea that it would be the last time they would talk.
“She was happy and cheerful. She told me she loved me and wished me a happy new year. She said she was looking forward to coming home in April for my birthday. She had already bought the tickets. She was so excited,” Masego said.
Masego said she was shocked when she received a call from the police on New Year’s Day, informing her that Naso had been found dead. She said she could not believe that her daughter had been killed by her husband, whom she had known for 15 years.
“I don’t know what happened. They seemed to have a good marriage. They had been together since university. They had two beautiful children. They had a nice house. They had everything. I don’t understand why he did this to her,” Masego said.
A costly and complicated process
Masego said she wanted to see her daughter’s body and say goodbye to her, but the process of repatriating her remains was costly and complicated. She said she needed to raise at least £10,000 to cover the expenses of transporting the body, obtaining the necessary documents, and arranging the funeral.
She said she had contacted the Botswana High Commission in London, but they had not been able to offer much assistance. She said she had also reached out to Naso’s friends and relatives in Scotland, but they had not been able to raise enough money.
“I am appealing to anyone who can help me to bring my daughter home. She deserves to rest in peace in her homeland. She deserves to be buried with dignity and respect. She deserves to be surrounded by her family and friends who loved her,” Masego said.
Masego said she had set up a crowdfunding page on GoFundMe to collect donations for the repatriation. She said she was grateful for the support and sympathy she had received from people around the world.
“I want to thank everyone who has donated, shared, or prayed for us. It means a lot to us. We are going through a very difficult time, but we are not alone. We have faith that God will help us to overcome this tragedy,” Masego said.
A tragic and shocking case
Police Scotland said they were treating Naso’s death as a murder and had arrested her husband in connection with the incident. They said they had responded to a report of a woman’s death at a house on Craigleith Avenue in North Berwick at about 08:20 on 1 January. They said Naso was pronounced dead at the scene and a 37-year-old man was taken into custody.
Detective Inspector Kevin Harkins, of the Major Investigation Team, said the case was tragic and shocking. He said the investigation was ongoing and appealed for anyone with information to come forward.
“This was a horrific and senseless crime that has left a young woman dead and two children without their mother. Our thoughts are with Naso’s family and friends at this very difficult time. We are working to establish the full circumstances of what happened and why. We are appealing to anyone who may have seen or heard anything suspicious in the area of Craigleith Avenue on New Year’s Day to contact us as soon as possible,” Harkins said.
Harkins said anyone with information could call Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 0660 of 1 January, or report it anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Tapiwa Isaac appeared in private at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on 4 January and was charged with murder. He made no plea and was remanded in custody. He is expected to appear again on 18 January.
