A man who threw himself at the mercy of the court, accepting that he stabbed his neighbour during a drunken brawl, was yesterday sentenced to 14 years behind bars by Justice Navindra Singh.
Though initially indicted for the capital offence, Godfrey Dass, 47, pleaded instead to the lesser offence of manslaughter, admitting that he unlawfully killed Kenneth Kennedy on June 5th, 2009.
“I aint feel good about wah happen,” the father of two told the judge, while stating that he and Kennedy and others were imbibing when an argument ensued, during which Kennedy was stabbed.
The incident occurred at Port Kaituma, North West District.
Describing the events leading to the man’s death as unfortunate, Justice Singh told Dass that he ought to seriously consider staying away from alcohol, as it played a major role in the events of the day in question.
Imposing the sentence, the judge ordered that the almost 10 years the offender has so far spent on remand awaiting trial, be deducted.
The judge then admonished him to “stay out of trouble,” while at the same time wishing him “good luck.”
Representing Dass, was attorney Mark Conway, who had begged for leniency on his client’s behalf, stating that the man was sorry for what he had done.
Meanwhile, the state’s case was presented by Prosecutor Teriq Mohammed, who had asked the court to impose a sentence which would reflect the nature and gravity of the offence committed.
Kennedy was 28 years old at the time of his death.
