Life sentence for Pakistani national who murdered Precious Magabane
A state witness told the court that Ashan Fraz Cheema confessed to killing Precious Magabane with a knife and dismembering her body.
POLOKWANE – Ashan Fraz Cheema (33) has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Precious Magabane.
Cheema appeared before the Limpopo High Court: Polokwane Division on Thursday (June 29) where he was also sentenced to two years imprisonment for theft and five years imprisonment for defeating the ends of justice.
Magabane, a Gr 3 teacher at Kabishi Primary School in Mashamothane, was reported missing on December 23, 2018 and Cheema and Raza Ali were were arrested in February 2019 after details of their alleged involvement in her disappearance emerged. Ali later turned state witness.
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The National Prosecuting Authority’s regional spokesperson Mashudu Malabi Dzhangi said Cheema fired his legal representatives more than seven times and ended up representing himself during the trial.
“Ali told the court that Cheema had told him about his problems with the deceased and confessed to killing her with a knife on December 23, 2018. Cheema then asked Ali to bring five refuse bags with him before he confessed to dismembering the deceased’s body. He put her body parts in refuse bags and disposed of them along the R37 road near Lydenburg,” Malabi Dzhangi said.
Cheema pleaded not guilty to all offences and the court found him guilty as charged.
In aggravation of sentence, the state advocate Nkhetheni Munyai said murder is a serious offence and the accused is not remorseful for his conduct.
Munyai added that Magabane’s murder has had a huge impact on her family as they were unable to have a funeral for her because her body parts were not found. “The deceased had two children, who will never see their mother’s grave,” he said.
During sentencing, Judge President Ephraim Makgoba said the court took into account the personal circumstances of the accused, the nature and seriousness of the offence and the interest of society when imposing the sentence.
