Eunice Dwumfour, a councilwoman from New Jersey, was remembered on Wednesday as someone who strived to assist others, whether they were single mothers, married individuals, newly accomplished individuals, colleagues, or loved ones. She was tragically shot near her home in Sayreville.
Dwumfour, a 30-year-old man, was pronounced dead on Wednesday night after being shot multiple times near the white Nissan she was driving in the Mer La apartment complex at Camelot.
Finally, her car stopped after crashing into two parked cars, one of which was owned by a bystander and happened to be a Lexus.
The witness informed The Post on Thursday that it took a moment for them to realize that there was a lifeless person behind the driver’s seat.
There was a bunch of bullet holes in the passenger door and a bunch of bullet holes in the driver’s door. Some other neighbors said they saw someone running away with a mask on.
During the afternoon of Thursday, approximately 20 Sayreville police officers were observed thoroughly searching the outskirts of the GSP exit leading to the Jon Bon Jovi Service Area. Residents speculate that the assailant might have escaped using the Garden State Parkway.
Although officials have not named any suspects, The Post later told that Dwumfour was caught on video speaking moments before her death at the scene.
A solo mother – and newlywed
At least two dozen mourners had gathered at Dwumfour’s parents’ apartment in Newark on Thursday, where agonized screams could be heard echoing from the walls as they grappled with the sudden loss of their loved ones.
The oldest of five children in a Ghanaian family, the Republican councilwoman’s 11-year-old daughter, according to relatives, has passed away.
One cousin, Rita K., Said that Dwumfour was married in Africa in November. Her husband, Eze Kings, is a pastor in Nigeria.
Rita said, “Eunice is a very humble woman who laid back and collected. She is very down-to-earth. It’s so difficult. It’s challenging to talk about it.”
While Dwumfour’s mother, Mary, was too upset to speak, her father, Prince, said the loss of his daughter was a “big blow.”.
Her ‘aspiration’ to assist others
Hailing from Newark, Dwumfour was elected to her inaugural council term in the Borough of Sayreville in November 2021.
In 2017, she obtained a degree in Women’s Studies from William Paterson University after completing her education in Newark’s public schools, which she expressed to TAPintoRaritan Bay that she was “‘proud'” to have achieved a few weeks prior to her triumph.
At the time of her election, she had allegedly resided in the Middlesex County region for more than five years.
In the urban area where she was brought up, cousin Kendra informed The Post about Dwumfour’s choice to depart, stating, “She relocated from Newark in search of an improved existence for her daughter.”
A few months after being elected to the council, Dwumfour was given an honorable mention on InsiderNJ’s 2022 African American Power List.
Aunt Beatrice Saahene elucidated, “During her youth, I believe Eunice aspired to become a councilwoman in order to assist a multitude of individuals.”
She wanted to give back to the country. She was a citizen here, so she was born here. She did it to help people. She didn’t do it for power. That was her dream.
A trustworthy exemplar
Priscilla, the younger sister of Dwumfour, mentioned that her deceased sister’s aspiration to assist the community originated from her Christian beliefs.
Dwumfour, who previously served as a CPR instructor and volunteered as an EMT, fondly recalled that in every aspect of her life, she felt a deep connection with God. She expressed her immense love for God.
She was always like that. She would call me if she needed a ride. Don’t worry, we will come to feed you. We’ll invite her to church and have conversations with people. She would even stop by to visit us when she came back here. It didn’t matter where she was, she always wanted to help the community.
Dwumfour also discovered ways to integrate her religious beliefs into her career.
“She served as a clergywoman,” Prince Dwumfour said of his daughter.
At the time of her passing, Eunice Dwumfour was identified on LinkedIn as a business analyst and “scrum master” for Fire Congress Fellowship, Inc., And as the Director of Churches for Champions Royal Assembly North America.
Joshua Iginla, a Nigerian clergyman and television preacher, operates Champions Royal Assembly, a religious organization. On various online platforms, Dwumfour often shared updates about Iginla and the religious institution.
In a post in December 2022 commemorating her wedding, she expressed gratitude to the minister and his spouse as her “spiritual guardians.”
Looking back on her sister’s legacy, Priscilla lamented that she no longer had such a strong, female role model in her life.
She said, “Now I only have brothers. I didn’t have any other sisters to look up to. It’s only my other sister.”
Previous legal issues
Despite Dwumfour’s seemingly content personal life, she was also familiar with public controversy.
Less than a year into her first term on Sayreville’s council, she was one of two Republicans who moved a resolution for a local investigation into Thomas Pollando, the disgraced former Democratic councilman, accused of bribery in a strip club scheme.
A couple of years prior, Dwumfour was also involved in her own legal issue arising from a car crash in 2017.
A lawsuit was filed in December 2019, claiming that Eunice Dwumfour, the proprietor and potential operator of a vehicle, negligently and carelessly collided with Frank Fernandez-Tavare’s personal vehicle in Hillside on December 21, 2017.
In the lawsuit, Fernandez-Tevara alleged to have experienced “severe, grave, permanent, and incapacitating injuries” in the accident.
Proceedings in the lawsuit persisted for nearly two years before it was ultimately dropped in August 2021.
Fernandez-Tavare could not be contacted right away for a comment.
Ambiguous intention
While the investigation into Dwumfour’s demise persists, family members and coworkers are still perplexed by the reason behind the astonishing tragedy.
“[Eunice] adored God deeply, so I don’t understand why the devil appeared and claimed her life so suddenly,” Saahene expressed.
“Whoever committed that act, I am certain they will face consequences … Her determination will pursue them.”
“We are unaware of what occurred,” Prince Dwumfour stated.
Now, Eunice is no longer with us. My hope is that God will grant her a more peaceful resting place. Someday, we will be reunited with her.