Murder of his wife : “Selfish, cunning,” said the judge

Photo SPVM
Harinder Singh Cheema

Michael Nguyen

Thursday, December 21, 2017 16:17

UPDATE
Thursday, December 21, 2017 16:17

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A murderer, who has long been among the wanted criminals in Québec must be served at least 15 years in penitentiary for killing his wife 10 years ago.

“He is a person selfish, deceitful and manipulative “, did not hesitate to tell the judge Pierre Labrie just before condemn, Harinder Singh Cheema, on Thursday at the palais de justice of Montreal.

Cheema, 38 years old, already knew that he would be sentenced to life in prison. He hoped, however, need to spend a minimum of 10 years behind bars, rather than the 15 years that the judge has imposed. The mea culpa of the murderer, who was dubbed “idiot” in addition to apologize, has not had the desired effect.

The murderer had committed his crime during the Christmas eve, 2007, in the family home in ville Saint-Laurent. Gurpreet Kaur had just given birth to their second child when a dispute erupted, and that Cheema has pulled out a knife.

He stabbed the woman 14 times before going to abandon his children to a knowledge and to leave Ontario, where he has been seeing a woman with whom he tried to have a sexual relationship.

“You had the audacity to make sexual advances on the same day that you killed your wife,” commented the magistrate.

New life

Cheema then fled the scene in India, and then to California where he remade his life with a new identity. He even found a woman who knew nothing of his past.

For years, he has lived with impunity as a limo chauffeur. Before being arrested, he had bought with his new wife a service station that he wanted to operate to both.

But the past has caught up with him, and he was extradited to Canada.

At trial, he attempted to argue provocation, but the jury didn’t believe him and convicted of second-degree murder.

The prosecutor Maude Payette called for a prison sentence of at least 16 years, while the defence lawyer Clemente Monterosso suggested 10 years. The judge has leaned on the side of the Crown.

And once his sentence was served, Cheema could be sent back to India, since it has no legal status in Canada. His children have also been returned in India in the family of their mother.

“Two young children have been deprived of their mother at a very young age “, has also concluded the judge, just before pronouncing the sentence.