Semion Pompey was yesterday morning sentenced to eight years behind bars for the unlawful killing of his cousin, Sydney Errol Campbell, whom he stabbed during a fight on Old Year’s night of 2014.
The 22-year-old had originally been indicted for the capital offence, to which he pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to him on Tuesday, following the empanelment of a jury to hear his case.
The trial was then adjourned for commencement yesterday morning.
When the matter was called before Justice Navindra Singh, however, defence attorney Nigel Hughes indicated his client’s intention to plead to the lesser offence of manslaughter, which was accepted by the prosecution and court.
Pompey pleaded guilty to the charge, which stated that he unlawfully killed Campbell, called ‘Bakey,’ on January 1st of 2015 at Ann’s Grove, East Coast Demerara.
While he was stabbed on old year’s night, Campbell succumbed to his injuries the following morning, New Year’s Day.
Having accepted the young man’s plea, the judge formally directed the 12-member jury to return a verdict of not guilty for murder, but guilty for manslaughter.
On Tuesday, another young man, Linden Williams, who had also played a part in Campbell’s demise by pelting a brick at the feet of the already wounded man, which caused him to fall to the ground, was sentenced to eight years as well by Justice Singh.
Williams and Campbell were friends.
Mitigating on his client’s behalf, Hughes said that not only was Pompey deeply sorry for what had happened to his cousin, but underscored the excellent relationship which he said both families enjoyed prior to the killing.
The court would then hear from Pompey himself, who apologised to his many visibly emotional relatives, who were seated in the courtroom, begging their forgiveness for having taken his cousin’s life.
Facing his relatives, the young man said he wished that at least one of them could find it in their heart to forgive him, while adding that he longed for the close relationship they all shared to return.
“It was never my intention to cause any of this,” the young man said.
In his address, Hughes had asked the judge to consider his client’s acceptance of responsibility for his actions and noted that it was not premeditated but purely spontaneous.
Counsel said the loss of life could not be ignored but asked Justice Singh to nonetheless consider that it was a fight between the young men which had led to the incident.
On this point, he asked the judge to also consider that it was a single stab wound which was inflicted, and that Pompey had also sustained injuries during the scuffle.
He asked the court to also consider that it was a penknife that had been used, and that even after the stabbing, Pompey showed concern by checking to see whether his cousin was ok.
Hughes said that the young man, who was 18 years old at the time he went into prison, has since made steps at positively elevating himself, by being involved in anger management programmes, which he says speaks volumes about his suitability to return to society.
The lawyer said that his client had also participated in an essay-writing competition hosted by the prisons, for which he had won the second place prize.
Begging the court for mercy, Hughes asked that his client’s prison behaviour be favourably considered.
For his part, Prosecutor Teriq Mohammed’s only request of the judge was to impose a sentence which reflected the nature and gravity of the offence.
Justice Singh said he was indeed impressed with the way the young offender had been utilising his time in prison and admonished him to continue on that positive path in order to make valuable contributions to society upon his release.
“I realise it was a fight among three boys,” the judge said, before adding that he has repeatedly said that the court will exercise mercy where persons accept responsibility for their wrongdoings.
As he had done when he imposed Williams’ sentence, Justice Singh ordered that deductions be made by prison officials from the eight-year sentence for time Pompey would have spent on remand awaiting trial.
The case was heard at the High Court in Georgetown.
On Old Year’s night 2014, Pompey and Williams had approached Campbell, who was walking on the road, when Pompey chucked and uttered to his cousin the words, “Leh dis thing done from today.”
It was during this time that a scuffle ensued, resulting in injuries to Pompey, and Campbell being stabbed.
Prosecutor Mohammed had acknowledged that it was not Williams who had inflicted the fatal wound, but noted that his culpability would have been tied by his involvement nonetheless in the joint-enterprise with Pompey.
