Heartbreaking victim impact statement from Sabina Nessa’s sisters

The victim impact statement of Sabina’s sisters Jebina Islam and Sadia Nessa, which was read out at court at the sentencing of her murderer, Koci Selamaj.

“Our sister Sabina Nessa was more than just a sister, a daughter, teacher – she was a life that mattered.

A life that did not deserve to be taken in such a heinous and cowardly way.

Everyone kept saying to us she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. But she wasn’t, she had every right to be walking down that path, all glammed up and going to enjoy herself after a long week of work. She had the right to feel safe.

You snatched her from us without a second thought. We will never forget the pain in our parents’ eyes when they heard their daughter’s body was found dead.

The sound of our Father’s screams waking us up on that Sunday morning. You are an awful human being and do not deserve your name to be said. What kind of human does this, however you are not a human being you are a disgusting animal.

From a young age, our parents would tell us to be careful when going out, to always go out together or with someone, to text when we’re home, or they’ll be calling us constantly to check if we were safe. We all thought they were over paranoid and a bit too overprotective.

They weren’t. The worst came true for them. We foolishly thought this would never happen to us. Our parents are petrified every time one of their girl’s steps foot outside the house now.

How can we convince our parents that we am safe in this world, when we are not Convinced? You robbed us of our sister. You robbed the chance of us going on our next adventure, celebrating her 29th birthday, her watching myself and our little sister graduate, our nieces having Sabina by their side, like she was with us when growing up.

She was an amazing role model, she defied all norms, she strived to be independent, she was powerful, fearless, bright, and just an amazing soul.

How do you explain to our nieces that their aunty is no more, they will grow up without an amazing aunty. Sabina was funny and cared for her nieces and would do anything for them.

She would take her out shopping and trips to the park. She loved her aunty very much. Her eldest niece knew straight away something was not right and as a parent trying to explain to a five-year-old that her aunty is with Allah and she will be watching over you was truly devastating, seeing her face drop and having so many questions which we could not answer to.

Her youngest niece was only 10 months when you murdered her. How do we as a family explain to her when she’s old enough that she truly had an amazing aunty and loved her dearly even though she saw her for a short time of her life?

We were lost for words and our hearts are aching of the pain of loss of Sabina.

After Sabina’s death, half term approached. Sabina made plans to pick up her nieces from my house and take her to her nan’s where she would spend her time, however who knew that summer holidays where her last time she would see her aunty.

The thought of the half term hit us hard and knowing our sister would not be there at our mums. During half terms we would both go to mums and spend time there however now it’s just us. The emptiness of walking past her bedroom knowing she’s not there breaks us each time walking by, knowing that she won’t be sitting on the middle sofa in the living munching on crisp or biscuits or taking Tilly the cat for a trim.

How do we continue with life? Days are going past but knowing our sister will never walk through our mum’s front door again. We lay awake thinking did this really happen to us?

I had a dream about my sister. She came home and I was hugging her so tightly that I didn’t let go. I remember shouting for my parents and sisters saying Sabina’s here.