Man jailed 5 years, 6 months for Matthews Ridge killing

A man was on Monday sentenced to five years and six months imprisonment for the stabbing of a 50-year-old man with whom he had an old grievance. The incident occurred on December 30, 2015, at Hell Hill, Matthews Ridge, Region One (Barima-Waini).

Leonard Fredericks, 30, had earlier pleaded guilty to a manslaughter charge which stated that he stabbed Peter James on the day in question. 

Justice Jo-Ann Barlow imposed the sentence at the Demerara High Court. The convict was represented by Attorney-at-Law Teriq Mohammed while Senior State Counsel Lisa Cave and State Counsel Latifah Elliott appeared on behalf of the prosecution.

According to reports, James of Matthews Ridge was stabbed about his body by Fredericks while they were imbibing at a bar. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the Matthews Ridge Hospital.

Fredericks had told investigators that two months prior to the incident, James had lashed him in the head with a piece of wood and that while they were drinking, he remembered the incident after which he armed himself with a knife and stabbed James several times. 

In sentencing Fredericks, Justice Barlow commenced at a starting point of 18 years from which a one-third deduction, amounting to six years, was given to the convict for his early guilty plea. 

He was also credited for his time spent in custody awaiting trial which adds up to roughly six years and four months.