Locked up, driver doing 60mph in a 30mph zone who killed much loved student in street

A speeding driver has been locked up after he killed a student in a horror crash.

Akbar Razaq was going at double the 30mph limit in his Audi A4 near Glasgow city centre on the night of February 2 2023.

The 29-year-old hit another car before mounting the pavement and hitting a traffic light pole.

Chinenye Okonkwo was waiting to cross the road but ended up being crushed between railings and the front of the Audi.

The 33-year-old - studying Public Health at the city’s Caledonian University - never survived.

Razaq is now behind bars after he admitted to a charge of causing death by dangerous driving at the High Court in Glasgow.

He is due to be sentenced in May.

Nigerian-born Ms Okonkwo had moved to the UK in 2022 to study in Glasgow.

Members of her grieving family were able to watch and listen to the hearing yesterday from their home country.

The student also had a part-time job at a nursing home in the city’s east-end.

She was walking on way to start a shift there when tragedy struck.

Moments before the collision, the student stopped to await a gap in the traffic to cross.

Chinenye Okonkwo was waiting to cross the road when she was hit by speeding driver Akbar Razaq

Razaq is now behind bars after he admitted to a charge of causing death by dangerous driving

Prosecutor Alex Prentice KC said: ‘Chinenye Okonkwo was standing on the pavement at the crossroads of Newton Street and St Vincent Street in Glasgow when she was struck by the speeding Audi A4 driven by Razaq.

‘The Audi had already been struck by a Ford Fiesta as it began to make a right turn into St Vincent Street from the left-hand lane at Newton Street.’

The court heard how Razaq had initially blasted his horn at the Fiesta driver to try and avoid a crash.

But the Audi was hit before going onto the pavement and smacking into the traffic light post.

Ms Okonkwo was then struck by both the car and pole causing her to be pinned between the railings and the car.

Razaq got out to ‘remonstrate’ with the other driver.

It was only then that a passenger in his car spotted Ms Okonkwo under the Audi.

Razaq moved the Audi and a 999 call was made.

Ms Okonkwo received ‘extensive advanced life support’ at the scene, but did not recover.

Crash investigators concluded the collision was caused by ‘negligence on the part of both drivers’.

But Mr Prentice added: ‘Despite different degrees of responsibility, it is also their opinion that the blame for the death is attributed to the driver of the Audi due to his dangerous manner of driving at excessive speed.

The indictment stated he was going at 60mph in the 30mph zone.

The Fiesta driver had also initially been charged, but she no longer faces prosecution.

John Scullion KC, defending, yesterday said Razaq, of the city’s Kinning Park, wanted to apologise. He had shown ‘deep regret and remorse’.

Razaq had been on bail, but Mr Scullion did not move for that to be continued.

Lord Mulholland deferred sentencing for reports.

Addressing Ms Okonkwo’s family, the judge said: ‘I have read the victim impact statement and it is clear she was a much-loved sister and daughter.

‘She had huge potential and was working hard to fund herself through university.

‘From what I have read, she was a very talented and hard-working woman.

‘It is an utter tragedy for you. You have my deepest sympathies.’