I couldn’t find the courage..
Sabina killer’s dad says he could not face family to apologise for his son
THE father of Sabina Nessa’s killer has told how he wanted to apologise to the murdered teacher’s family but could not summon up the courage to face them.
Bashkim Selamaj, 73, flew from his home in Albania to see his son Koci jailed for life at the Old Bailey.
The 36-year-old, who pounced on Sabina, 28, as she crossed a park to meet a friend, was branded “a monster and a coward” after refusing to attend this week’s two-day hearing himself.
His horrified dad Bashkim, who was in court with daughter Jolanda Hyseni, told the Sunday Mirror: “My daughter and I wanted to apologise to Sabina’s family for what Koci did.
“We couldn’t find the courage to come face-to-face with Sabina’s sister.
“Her pain is our pain. I have two daughters and do understand what it would be like to lose one.”
Koci admitted murdering Sabina in Cator Park in Kidbrooke, South East London, last September.
SHOCK
On Friday he was jailed for life and must serve a minimum of 36 years.
Sabina was strangled after being struck on the head 34 times with a hazard triangle.
The court heard how Koci had booked a £325 room at Eastbourne’s Grand Hotel on the night of the murder in the hope of having sex with his estranged wife, who was a chambermaid there.
Staff had felt “there was something not quite right about him” and called 101 following a dispute over payment, although police did not attend.
Koci then headed to London, where he selected Sabina at random.
Retired builder Bashkim has previously expressed his shock over the “horrendous” murder and said: “I didn’t think my son could kill a fly.”
Following Koci’s sentencing, Sabina’s sister Jebina Islam hit out at Home Secretary Priti Patel for her “lack of support”.
She responded to a tweet from Ms Patel, who insisted she was doing “everything in her power” to tackle violence against women and girls.
dan.warburton@mirror.co.uk