The man who has been charged with the "predatory" murder of 28-year-old primary school teacher, Sabina Nessa, appeared in court yesterday (from Wormwood Scrubs via video link). It is reported that he, Koci Selamaj, is expected to plead 'not guilty' when the case goes to trial.
More devastating details of what may have happened to Sabina the night that she was killed have also emerged. The Old Bailey, according to a BBC report, heard that Selamaj allegedly used a 2ft long weapon to repeatedly strike the young woman as she walked through Cator Park in Kidbrooke, south London, whilst on her way to meet a friend at a nearby pub. Sabina's journey ought to have taken her just five minutes.
The court then heard how Selamaj carried Sabina away once she had lost consciousness. Her body was found hidden under a pile of leaves outside a community centre the following day.
A post-mortem examination has not yet confirmed the exact cause of Sabina's death but it is said that the attack involved "extreme violence" and Prosecutor Alison Morgan QC described it as "premeditated and predatory", stating there was no suggestion that Sabina and Selamaj had ever met before.
The accused who is 36 and from Eastbourne, East Sussex, has been remanded in custody. During the hearing, Selamaj spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth. He was assisted during the hearing by an Albanian interpreter and wore a prison-issue green and yellow top.
Earlier this week, the accused appeared in-person in Willesden Magistrates' Court (28 September) where he indicated his plan to plead 'not guilty'.
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When making the news public that Selamaj had been apprehended, the Metropolitan Police shared a statement partially reading: "A man has been charged with the murder of 28-year-old Sabina Nessa in Kidbrooke, south-east London on Friday, 17 September. Koci Selamaj, 36 (04.05.85) of Terminus Road, Eastbourne was charged on Monday, 27 September."
His arrest took place three days after police asked the public for help with finding a man seen on CCTV close to the park where Sabina's body was found. At this stage, no motivation for the horrific crime has been revealed.
Sabina's sister, Jebina Yasmin Islam, told the hundreds of people who gathered at a recent vigil in memory of the teacher that she had "lost an amazing, caring, beautiful sister, who left this world far too early".
Jebina said that following the loss of Sabina, her family's world has been shattered. "Words cannot describe how we are feeling, this feels like we are stuck in a bad dream and can’t get out of it – our world is shattered, we are simply lost for words. No family should go through what we are going through."
A trial and plea preparation hearing for Selamaj is set to take place on 26 October.
Our thoughts are with all of Sabina's loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.
Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
