Man charged over murder of schoolgirl Arsema Dawit
Wednesday, 04 Jun 2008 19:30
Arsema Dawit was stabbed to death on Monday
A 21-year-old man has been charged with the murder of 15-year-old schoolgirl Arsema Dawit.
The teenager's body was found in a lift near London's Waterloo station and a post-mortem examination carried out yesterday confirmed that she died of multiple stab wounds.
Earlier today, police had been granted extra time to question a 21-year-old man arrested in connection with Arsema's murder on Monday and a suspect named as Thomas Nugusse has now been charged.
The student from Ilford, Essex, will appear at Greenwich magistrates' court on Thursday morning charged with Arsema's murder, a Metropolitan police spokesman confirmed.
The arrest followed complaints from the victim's family that she had been assaulted on April 30th, five weeks before she was stabbed to death in Matheson Lang House on Baylis Road.
Neighbours and friends of the schoolgirl has earlier told reporters that Arsema was being 'harassed' by a man she allegedly met at church.
Metropolitan police confirmed yesterday that they had received a complaint from the teenager's family in April regarding an alleged assault.
Detective Chief Inspector Caroline Goode said on Wednesday, prior to the arrest: "At this stage I am trying to establish the true nature of the relationship between Arsema and the man in custody.
"We are speaking to her family and friends to help build a picture of events leading up to the murder and to help piece together the relationship between them."
Arsema is understood to have been wearing her school uniform and received ten stab wounds in her front, neck and back.
The 15-year-old girl is the 16th teenager to die violently in London so far this year.