Kochi Selmaj, who is accused of killing 28-year-old primary school teacher Sabina Nessa, has accepted responsibility for her death during a pre-trial hearing on Thursday at the Old Bailey.
Selmaj is a garage worker and is believed to have travelled to London from his home in Eastbourne to carry out the “premeditated and predatory” attack, prosecutors say. He has pleaded not guilty to her murder.
Defence barrister, Aidan Harvey, informed the court that Selmaj “accepts responsibility for the killing of Sabina Nessa.”
When a senior judge, Mr Justice Wall, asked Harvey: “Is there any dispute your client killed Ms Nessa?” Harvey replied: “There is not, my Lord.”
Close members of Ms Nessa’s family were also present in the court.
Sabina Nessa was attacked in Cator Park, Kidbrooke, on 17th September this year while she was on her way to meet a friend. Her body was found near a community centre in the park and was coved with leaves and grass.
The prosecutors informed the court that Ms Nessa was struck with a 2ft long weapon as she walked through the park. Alison Morgan, QC, said that she was beaten possibly with a lump of wood.
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Selmaj, an Albanian national, was arrested by Metropolitan police officers in Eastbourne, East Sussex eight days after the incident and was charged with murder.
Mr Wall remanded Selmaj in custody until the next hearing on February 25, 2022, and a trial has been set down for June 7th of the same year
Ms Nessa taught a year 1 class at Rushey Green Primary School in Catford. It is believed that her attacker was a complete stranger to her.
Two weeks after the incident, around 500 people, including the family of Nessa held a candlelight vigil at Pegler Square demanding an end to violence against women in the country.
“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,” Nessa’s sister, Jebina Yasmin Islam, told the crowd. “No family should go through what we are going through; we have lost an amazing, caring, beautiful sister, who left this world far too early.”
A book of condolences was also opened in her memory at OneSpace community centre for visitors to write their tributes and pay homage to the departed soul.
