IN THE NEWS
LIFE SENTENCE FOR BIRMINGHAM CABBIE WHO STABBED EX-WIFE TO DEATH IN SAVAGE ATTACK
An ‘obsessed’ taxi driver stabbed his ex-wife to death on her doorstep whilst wearing an afro wig as a disguise. BirminghamLive reports that jealous Mohammed Arfan stalked Marena Shaban from her place of work to her home in Bordesley Green before launching a ‘frenzied’ attack. He slit her throat inflicting a total of 20 knife injuries to the 41-year-old as a child witnessed the ‘savage’ killing. The 42-year-old then fled the scene, discarding the hair piece and blade. He initially denied the killing in a bid to cover his tracks. He claimed he hadn’t seen or spoken with his ex-partner for over a year. But, with CCTV showing he stalked Marena, he was arrested. On Friday 15 July, at Birmingham Crown Court, Arfan from Ward End, Birmingham, pleaded guilty to murder, shaking and crying throughout the hearing in front of Ms Shaban’s devas- tated friends and family. He had previously admitted possession of an offensive weapon and was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 22 years.
Judge Melbourne Inman QC said: “This was a planned attack which arose from your jealously.” The barbaric killing occurred on January 28 this year, around 13 months after the pair had separated having had an arranged marriage when they were teenagers. Prosecutor Peter Grieves-Smith QC said: “The defendant was unhappy about the separation and became obsessed with her lifestyle. “He wasn’t able to speak to her on the telephone as she blocked him. However he followed her on social media and also to her home and work. “Ms Shaban felt she was being stalked and the defendant’s behaviour concerned her greatly as she sought to rebuild her life.” On the day he would end her life, Arfan drove past the shop where she worked
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claiming he had not seen Ms Shaban for up to five months as well as making up a false alibi.
Mr Grieves-Smith said: “A significant feature of this case is the way the defendant was able, having killed her, to feign grief and control his responses to questions after.
more than a dozen times in his taxi, including five times in as many minutes. At 7pm as Ms Shaban was due to finish her shift he left, having sat and watched her for an hour and a half, and drove to the cul-de-sac where she lived in a flat with her mother at North Holme. Around seven minutes later she was dropped off on the street by her new partner. Mr Grieves-Smith said: “She walked towards her home address. At that point she was attacked and killed before she made it into the safety of her home. She was killed on her mother’s doorstep.” He added: “One witness to the attack was a boy. He saw the defendant approach Marena Shaban as she was about to open the door. He attacked her straight away. He described the attacker as having afro hair. “In the defendant’s car was a wig box. The wig matching that description. The boy describes Ms Shaban’s throat being slit. He just grabbed her and slit her throat, he said.”
Members of the public soon tended to the victim and medics battled to save her life but she was pronounced dead at 7.50pm. Later that night relatives told Arfan of her death to which he replied: “Where am I going to find an English speaking woman now.” He initially told a ‘pack of lies’ to police
“He visited the scene of the killing and saw the body and lied to the police about his involvement.” In an emotional statement Marena’s mother said: “The social, emotional and mental implications of Marena’s tragic death have been catastrophic. “The loss of a child is devastating and no parent ever envisages outliving their child. “Marena was a devoted mother of four with an infectious smile who adored and loved her children, putting them first. The devastation felt by her children is indescribable.” She thanked detectives for their speed, support and relentless work to catch Marena’s killer. Judge Inman, passing sentence, said: “It’s clear from the evidence you were never able to accept the marriage was over and that Marena was free to pursue her own life. “You became aware she had met some- one else and you became extremely jealous and angry.” Detective Inspector Jim Colclough, from the force’s Homicide unit, added: “This is a really tragic case, where four children have not only lost their mother, they are now without their father. “This was a really intense investigation where a suspect was not immediately obvious, but the evidence was against him and I am really pleased that Arfan has pleaded guilty.”
AUGUST 2022
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