Man charged with murder of Sabina Nessa “plans to plead not guilty,” says lawyer

Koci Selamaj appeared in court on Tuesday.

The man charged with the murder of teacher Sabina Nessa plans to plead not guilty, according to his lawyer. Koci Selamaj was charged with the murder of the 28-year-old schoolteacher last weekend, one week after the discovery of her body in a park in Kidbrooke, east London. Sabina had been on her way to a bar to meet a friend five minutes from her home on the evening of September 17 when she was attacked. Her remains were discovered the following day. Metro.co.uk reports that Selamaj’s solicitor Aidan Harvey said that his client will enter a plea of not guilty when he attends the Old Bailey court on Thursday. Selamaj's arrest came after police released CCTV images of a man who was spotted on the night of the murder. "Our team have been working tirelessly to find the person responsible for Sabina’s murder and this has included an extensive trawl of CCTV, work which remains ongoing," said Detective Chief Inspector Neil John at the time. "We would ask anyone – especially those in Kidbrooke and the wider area of Lewisham and Greenwich – to take a careful look at these images to check whether you know who this man is or have seen him over recent days." Sabina was walking from her home to a bar on the evening of September 17 to meet a friend. Her body was discovered near the OneSpace community centre at Kidbrooke Park Road on Saturday, September 18. The murder has reignited concerns and anger surrounding the safety of women on the UK's streets. Sabina is the second woman to be killed in a high profile case in London this year, following the death of Sarah Everard in March. A vigil was held for Sabina last week. Selamaj, a delivery driver, will appear at the Old Bailey to enter a plea on Thursday.