THE FAMILY of student Sabita Thanwani have paid tribute after a man was arrested on suspicion of her murder and assault in her student accommodation in London.
Thanwani, a 19-year-old British national, was found with serious injuries to her neck at Arbour House student flats in Clerkenwell, London, last Saturday (19).
In a statement on Monday (21), her family said, “Sabita Thanwani was our daughter. Our angel. Her life, that we hoped would be long, was cut tragically short. She was ripped away from those who loved her so very dearly; her mum, dad, brother, grandparents, extended family and friends.
“Sabita was the most caring and loving person we have ever known. She inspired us every day of her precious 19 years of life. Her mission was to help everyone. She was studying psychology at City University to make this happen. Her whole life was ahead of her, a life where her radiant smile and incredible heart could only spread warmth and kindness.
“In her short life, she helped so many. Sabita was pure and did not see bad in anyone, because there was no badness in her own awesome heart. We will never ever stop loving or missing our beautiful, irreplaceable Sabita. The girl that was an angel upon the earth is now an angel in heaven.
“We can only pray that lessons will be learnt and that somehow, there will come a day when girls and women are safe. We will never be able to thank the Metropolitan Police enough for their dedication and tireless work in finding justice for our Sabita. From our hearts, we thank everyone for their love and support.
“We ask that our privacy is respected and as a family we can quietly grieve.”
The Metropolitan Police issued an appeal for a 22-year-old man, Maher Maaroufe, who they said had been in a relationship with Thanwani.
He was eventually arrested by officers last Sunday (20) around Clerkenwell, where Thanwani’s body was found the previous day.
She was reportedly with Maaroufe last Friday (18).
Detective chief inspector Linda Bradley, from the Met Police Specialist Crime unit, said, “Maaroufe had been in a relationship with Sabita, but he was not a student. He is a Tunisian national of no fixed address.”
A spokesperson for Unite Students, which operates the Arbour House student accommodation, said, “Our priority at this time is the safety and wellbeing of students at Arbour House. We are working closely with the police and City, University of London.”
