The Polokwane High Court has sentenced Ashan Fraz Cheema, 33, to life imprisonment for killing his girlfriend.

His friend Razi Ali had testified about how Cheema confessed to him in December 2018 that he killed Mohlale Precious Magabane with a knife, dismembered her and scattered refuse bags with her body parts across Lydenburg mountain.

Cheema pleaded not guilty to killing the mother of two.

He was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, two years for theft and five years for defeating the ends of justice.

He said Cheema dismembered the body, placed the body parts in refuse bags, and drove around disposing of it at Lydenburg Mountain, along the R37.

Cheema then contacted Ali again, requesting his help to bury the deceased’s head and hands at Mashifane Park sports ground.

The DNA proved the body parts belonged to the deceased.

Cheema, who pleaded not guilty, was subsequently found guilty.

During sentencing, Judge President Ephraim Makgoba said the accused was convicted of a serious offence, which fell under gender-based-violence, and which is a “big problem in this country”.

He said he had taken into account the personal circumstances of the accused, the nature and seriousness of the offence, and the interest of society.