LONDON: The man accused of killing British primary school teacher Sabina Nessa has accepted responsibility for her death but pleads not guilty to murder, a court heard on Thursday.
Nessa, 28, was attacked in South London in September this year while on her way to meet a friend.
Prosecutors say that Koci Selamaj, 36, traveled from his home in Eastbourne, about an hour from London, to carry out a “premeditated and predatory” attack, during which he repeatedly struck Nessa with a 0.6 meter-long weapon.
Judge Nicholas Wall asked Selamaj’s defense lawyer: “Is there any dispute your client killed Ms. Nessa?”
Aidan Harvey replied: “There is not, my lord. He accepts he killed her.”
Assisted by an Albanian interpreter, Selamaj spoke only to confirm his identity and enter a not guilty plea to the murder charge. Members of Nessa’s family were in court for the hearing at the Old Bailey in London.
The next hearing will take place on Feb. 25, and a trial date of June 7 has been set.