A man accused of shooting dead a New Jersey councilwoman was pictured yawning as he pleaded not guilty to Monday’s brutal murder.
Rashid Ali Bynum, 29, is charged with first degree murder in the death of Eunice Dwumfour, 30, who was shot in her car outside her home in Sayreville in February.
Footage obtained by DailyMail.com shows a carefree Bynum at the Middlesex County Courthouse making faces while the charges against him are read.
All green, he seemed to smile as he looked behind his hair whenever the weapon used in the murder was mentioned.
Dwumfour’s relatives were seen crying in court and his mother, Mary, was arrested after throwing a bottle of water at the suspect. She faces an offense for breach of public order.
Rashid Ali Bynum yawns on Monday as he pleads not guilty to the murder of New Jersey Councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour
Dwumfour, 30, was shot dead in her car outside her home in February
He seemed to smile whenever the weapon used in the murder was mentioned.
Bynum was arrested in Virginia in May after police tracked him through phone records, which showed his ties to the Newark branch of the Nigeria-based Champions Royal Assembly Church where Dwumfour worked.
Prosecutors say Dwumfour had known Bynum since she was a pastor at the church.
They say his cellphone records show he traveled from Virginia to New Jersey and then returned to Virginia when the murder took place. Bynum’s rental car, which he paid for in cash, was also tracked through his E-ZPass.
Additionally, investigators say they compared the weapon used in the murder to one found in the suspect’s apartment.
It was revealed on Monday that at one point Bynum was living with Dwumfour and his daughter. However, he was sent back to Virginia after the Church decided he did not follow their beliefs.
Bynum will remain jailed until his next court appearance on October 30.
Judge Joseph Paone cited “overwhelming evidence” as the reason to hold him without bail.
He said: “Based on the totality of the circumstances, the horrific nature of the crime and the weight of the evidence, this court finds that the defendant has failed to rebut the presumption of detention with the evidence necessary to show that there are no problems. danger to the community, risk of obstruction of the criminal justice process, and risk of not appearing in court.
Bynum allegedly shot Dwumfour 14 times.
Dwumfour, a Republican, ousted the incumbent Democrat in the borough of Sayreville in November 2021, in a shock election victory, and was not re-elected until 2024.
Although Dwumfour is from Newark and has family there, she lived in Sayreville as a single mother. She had recently married a pastor who lives in Nigeria.
Prosecutors say Dwumfour knew Bynum from when she was a pastor
Bynum was arrested in Virginia in May after police tracked him through phone records
Eunice Dwumfour shares a special moment with her new husband Eze Kings during their wedding in Nigeria in November 2022
She was a Certified Business Analyst and Scrum Professional for Fire Congress Fellowship inc. and a part-time EMT.
Witnesses at the time of the fatal shooting said they saw a white vehicle nearby. Law enforcement said they located Bynum’s phone and car, a white Hyundai Elantra, using cell tower extraction records.
Early in the investigation, some neighbors told police they saw Dwumfour talking to a man outside his car in security footage just before the shooting.
Dwumfour married Pastor Eze Kings, who lives in Nigeria just before Thanksgiving and lived in the apartment with his 12-year-old daughter from a previous relationship.
Photos from her wedding day show how happy the mother-of-one looked smiling next to her new hubby.
Kings posted on Facebook about the loss of his wife after the shooting, wishing her a happy birthday in advance.
“March 4th is your birthday, happy and glorious birthday, my love.”
“Addy” is Nigerian slang for advance.
