Sabina Nessa: Man, 36, charged with murder of teacher

Suspect to appear in court on Tuesday over killing of 28-year-old in southeast London

A 36-year-old man has been charged with the murder of teacher Sabina Nessa in London earlier this month, police have said.

Koci Selamaj from Eastbourne, East Sussex, was arrested in the early hours of Sunday 26 September and charged on Monday over the killing of Ms Nessa, according to the Metropolitan Police.

The force added that Mr Selamaj would appear at Willesden Magistrates’ Court over the crime on Tuesday.

Ms Nessa was killed as she walked through Cator Park in Kidbrooke, southeast London, on her way to meet a friend on 17 September.

On Friday, hundreds of mourners gathered at a candlelit vigil in memory of the 28-year-old teacher, with condolences also offered elsewhere by the Duchess of Cambridge and government ministers.

Commenting on the charge, Lisa Ramsarran, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “The Crown Prosecution Service has authorised the Metropolitan Police Service to charge Koci Selamaj, 36, with one count of murder.

“The charge relates to the murder of 28-year-old primary school teacher Sabina Nessa in Kidbrooke, southeast London, on Friday, 17 September 2021.

“The CPS London Homicide Unit authorised the charge following a review of a file of evidence received from the Metropolitan Police Service.”

Ms Ramsarran added: “The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against the defendant are active and that he has a right to a fair trial.

“It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”

At the vigil on Friday, Ms Nessa’s sister Jebina Yasmin Islam said that her family’s world had been “shattered” by the killing.

“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,” she said.

“No family should go through what we are going through.”

Additional reporting by PA