A man from San Fernando, who stabbed a neighbour to death after attempting to rob him of his cellphone in 2009, is expected to be released from prison in a year’s time.
Kevin Vincent, of Cocoyea Village, San Fernando, was initially charged with murdering television cameraman Akeel Mathison on August 28, 2009, but was allowed to plead guilty to felony murder earlier this week based on a recent plea agreement with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
Under the felony murder rule, the death penalty for murder is waived in circumstances where death results during the commission of a lesser violent criminal offence, which in most cases is robbery.
Yesterday, High Court Judge Lisa Ramsumair-Hinds sentenced Vincent to 14 years in prison for his role in Mathison’s death.
After deducting the time Vincent spent on remand before striking the deal with the DPP’s Office, he was left with a sentence of one year, one month and one day.
According to the evidence in the case, presented during the hearing, Mathison was murdered at an internet cafe at Coffee Street, San Fernando.
Mathison was allegedly attacked by Vincent and a group of men, who attempted to rob him of his Blackberry cellphone and stabbed him after he resisted.
Mathison identified his attackers to an employee before being taken for medical treatment.
Mathison eventually succumbed to stab wounds to his chest and back.
Vincent was arrested by police after being identified by one of his friends, who claimed to have been liming with him but had not participated in the robbery or murder.
In deciding on the appropriate sentence for Vincent, Justice Ramsumair-Hinds accepted the 23-year starting point that was agreed to by prosecutors and Vincent’s defence attorneys but decided to reduce it by two years based on factors raised in his mitigation plea, including his age at the time of the offence and his exemplary prison disciplinary record.
She then applied a one-third discount for Vincent’s guilty plea.
When his plea deal was accepted this week, Vincent was allowed to read a statement, in which he apologised to Mathison’s family and friends.
Vincent was represented by Chief Public Defender Hasine Sheik and Adelia Jordan of the Public Defender’s Department, while Ravita Persad-Maharaj prosecuted.