Delivery driver ‘will deny Sabina murder’
Court told to expect not guilty plea
A PIZZA delivery driver will deny murdering teacher Sabina Nessa, a court has heard.
Albanian Koci Selamaj, 36, appeared at Willesden magistrates court yesterday for a hearing which lasted approximately two minutes in front of a packed public gallery.
He stood calmly with his hands clasped together, wearing grey prison-issue tracksuit and blue facemask and spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth.
Prosecutor Umaima Peracha said the charge against the defendant is murder on September 17.
He was not asked to formally enter a plea to a single charge of murder but was asked by District Judge Denis Brennan for an indication of his plea.
His lawyer, Aidan
Harvey, said: “I have indicated on the form it will be a not guilty plea.”
Mr Harvey also said although an interpreter was in the building, his client’s English was “sufficient for today’s purposes”.
The judge told Selamaj his case would be sent to the Old Bailey: “Your first hearing there will be a bail hearing on September 30 with the plea and trial preparation hearing being on October 26.
“I will remand you in custody.” Selamaj, understood to have been working as a food delivery driver in Eastbourne, East Sussex, was arrested in the early hours of Sunday and charged on Monday.
Sabina, 28, was killed as she walked through Cator Park in Kidbrooke, South East London, on her way to meet a friend on September 17. Her body was found covered with leaves almost 24 hours later.
On Friday, at a candlelit vigil organised in her memory sister Jebina Yasmin Islam said: “Our world is shattered.”