Vigil and protest for murdered Londoner Zara Aleena, three years on
Her aunt says Zara's death must lead to something better
A vigil is being held today (Sunday 29 June) to mark three years since Zara Aleena's murder in east London.
The 35-year-old law graduate was walking home from a night out when she stalked and killed by a sexual predator on 26 June 2022 in Ilford, east London - just minutes from her front door.
Her killing was "preventable", and the subsequent investigation has helped expose failings in institutions such as the probation service and the police, her family say.
Ms Aleena's murderer Jordan McSweeney had been released from prison nine days earlier.
Her aunt Farah Naz said: "Zara's death must mean something - it must lead to something better - that's what keeps us going."
'Safety should be a right'
The vigil will include a moment of reflection and a walk past the spot where she was murdered, organisers said.
Ms Naz said:
"The vigil is about walking her home - it's about finishing her walk. It's more of a protest than a vigil, I would say.
"I think some people don't come because they think it's a family and friends event but actually we open it to to everybody - come and walk with us.
"Finish this walk that this young woman should have been able to complete.
"Safety should be a right and that's something that we have to plead for as women."
"We must not look the other way"
"What happened to Zara is not acceptable. It is not inevitable. It is not human.
"We must not look the other way.
"This day gives us space to speak her name, to honour her and to keep her at the heart of the change that's needed."
The jury at Ms Aleena's inquest last year found: "Zara's death was contributed to by the failure of multiple state agencies to act in accordance to policies and procedures - to share intelligence, accurately assess risk of serious harm, (and) act and plan in response to the risk in a sufficient, timely and coordinated way".
Lack of rigour
Evidence to the inquest prompted the coroner Nadia Persaud to issue a prevention of future deaths report warning there is a risk similar killings could occur unless action is taken.
She instructed the Probation Service and Metropolitan Police to improve their services.
Low staffing levels, poor understanding around risk assessment and a "lack of professional curiosity" within the Probation Service were all listed as matters of concern, as was a lack of "rigour, detail and independence" of a Met investigation into the case, Ms Persaud concluded.
McSweeney was handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 38 years at the Old Bailey in December 2022 after admitting sexually assaulting and murdering Ms Aleena.
In November 2023, he won a Court of Appeal bid to reduce the minimum term of his life sentence to 33 years.
The Ministry of Justice has been contacted for comment.
The vigil will be held at the Bethell Avenue entrance to St. Valentine’s Park in Ilford, London IG1 4UX.