Devastated family pay tribute to stab death mum Alami

FAMILY and friends of a young mum who was stabbed to death at the home she shared with her two children have spoken of their devastation.

• Mum-of-two Alami Gotip was murdered at home.

Alami Gotip died after suffering multiple stab wounds at her house in the Dedridge area of Livingston.

The popular 22-year-old, who worked for HM Revenue and Customs, was found by officers in her living room after they were called to the property around 10pm on Wednesday following a 999 call.

Today, those who knew her best were coming to terms with the loss of their friend, who previously attended St Margaret's Academy.

Neil Henderson, Alami's boyfriend of five years and the father of her children, posted a message on his Facebook page thanking their friends for their support.

He said: "Thank you to everyone who said something nice about Alami today. Shola, Jasmin and I will all love her forever, I wish I could tell her that, I miss her so much.

"Shola says her mummy will be a butterfly or a flower. She'll be all of the most beautiful ones Shola and Jasmin will ever see."

Alami's mum Karen McKenna, sister Raisa McKenna, and brother Adin Gotip, who live in Livingston, were being comforted by friends and family yesterday.

Her father, Sylvester Gotip could only say: "Somebody has took my lovely Alami Gotip away from me."

Alami had recently returned from a family holiday in the Lake District and had told her friends how much she would miss her two daughters.

She posted on Facebook: "I am looking forward to our trip but I bet I will be really missing my girls after a few days.

"This will be the longest they will have been away from me."

She later updated: "Only 2 more days til I have my girls home :)" and "Great day out with the Holiday family in Lake District! Missing my 2 girls loads tho!"

Alami and her fiance Neil, who also worked at HMRC, separated several months ago, and the children had been spending time between their mum and dad.

Yesterday her colleagues at HM Revenue and Customs were coming to terms with her death.

A spokesman for the government agency said: "Alami was an employee here, but obviously as this is a police matter we will not comment other than to say our thoughts are with her friends and family at this sad time."

Alami was the niece of Nigerian student John Gotip, now an IT consultant and company director, whose high-profile incarceration and subsequent deportation from Edinburgh in 1996 was at the centre of a long-running political row.

Police are still appealing for anyone who was in the area of Nigel Rise between 8pm and 9.45pm on Wednesday, who saw or heard anything suspicious, to contact them on 0131 311 3131, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

An 18-year-old man has been charged with murder. He was due to appear at Livingston Sheriff Court later today.