Ugandan housemaid Vicky Ajok confesses to murder of top Syria actress

Authorities in Syria say they have obtained a murder confession from Vicky Ajok, a Ugandan housemaid, following the death of veteran actress Huda Shaarawi

Ajok was employed as a househelp at Shaarawi’s home in Damascus.

The Ugandan reportedly confessed to killing the celebrated performer, Syrian authorities announced on Thursday. 

Ajok allegedly fled the residence shortly after the attack but was later apprehended by security forces and admitted responsibility during questioning, as investigations continue into the motive and circumstances surrounding the crime.

The Damascus Internal Security Directorate, headed by Brigadier Osama Atika, confirmed that Shaarawi was found dead inside her home earlier on Thursday. 

Initial findings indicate she suffered a violent assault with a blunt object, causing severe bleeding. Her body was transferred to the Forensic Medicine Department, where a final medical report is awaited to establish the precise cause of death.

According to security sources, the killing occurred between 5 and 6 a.m. Neighbours reported hearing disturbances and later claimed that a heavy kitchen utensil was used in the attack, resulting in Shaarawi’s immediate death. 

Her grandchildren had visited the previous evening, suggesting the assault took place in the early hours before the suspect disappeared.

Huda Shaarawi, 87, was one of Syria’s most revered actresses, best known for her iconic role as Umm Zaki in the long-running series Bab Al-Hara. 

Born on 28 October 1938 in Damascus’s Shaghour district, she began her artistic career at the age of nine as one of the first female voices on Syrian radio. 

Over eight decades, she became a pillar of television drama and a founding member of the Syrian Artists’ Syndicate.

Her performances in classics such as The End of a Brave Man, Ayam Shamia and A Hero from This Time cemented her legacy, with her final appearance coming in the Ramadan 2025 series Layali Roxy.

The murder has triggered an outpouring of grief across the Arab world. The Syrian Artists’ Syndicate mourned her loss, while actors and directors expressed shock online. Actress Sulaf Fawakherji described the news as “devastating and heartbreaking”, and director Rasha Sharbatgy called the killing “brutal” and unimaginable.