A judge has issued an order for the indefinite confinement of Maher Maaroufe, a 24-year-old Tunisian man, to a psychiatric hospital for the killing and near-beheading of a 19-year-old Indian-origin student, Sabita Thanwani, in London. The tragic incident occurred at Arbour House student flats in the Clerkenwell area on March 19, 2022, where Maaroufe fatally stabbed Thanwani in the neck.
Thanwani's family revealed that she had rebuffed Maaroufe's advances, and the judge noted that she was in an abusive relationship with the Tunisian man. Maaroufe, an asylum-seeker, had overstayed in the UK at the time of the murder.
During his appearance at the Old Bailey last year, Maaroufe, who had no fixed address, confessed to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, citing schizoaffective disorder at the time of the incident. He also admitted guilty to assaulting an emergency worker.
Described as an "evil predator" and a "monster" by Thanwani's family, Maaroufe faced sentencing at the Old Bailey, where Judge Nigel Lickley KC stated, "Sabita had her whole life ahead of her. You ended her life. Your actions will continue to cause enduring pain and suffering."
The judge revealed that Maaroufe carried out the attack during the "height" of a psychotic episode. Highlighting Maaroufe's past behavior, the judge emphasized his "aggressive" and "controlling" actions toward Thanwani during their relationship, including at least one instance of physical harm, possibly linked to an "emerging illness."
The court learned that Maaroufe legally entered the UK but overstayed, seeking asylum at the time of the assault. The night before the attack, Thanwani encountered Maaroufe outside a mosque, wearing a balaclava. Distressing cries for help led to police intervention after her return to her accommodation. Thanwani was found with a cut to her throat and succumbed to her injuries on the spot.
Police discovered Maaroufe asleep under a tarpaulin in a garden shed, and during his arrest, he headbutted an officer. Despite Maaroufe's plea to manslaughter, Thanwani's family firmly labeled him a "murderer," asserting that his actions were calculated to kill her due to the "rejection of his advances."
