Man gets five years, six months in prison over 2015 Matthews Ridge killing
Leonard Fredericks, who pleaded guilty to killing a 50-year-old man with whom he had an old resentment, was today sentenced to five years and six months imprisonment.
Fredericks, 30, was sentenced by Justice Jo-Ann Barlow at the Demerara High Court. The 30-year-old who was initially charged with the murder of Peter James pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter.
It was alleged that on December 30, 2015, at Hell Hill, Matthews Ridge, Region One, he killed 50-year-old James. While handing down her sentence, Justice Barlow began at 18 years, from which a one-third deduction, amounting to six years, was rationed to the convict for his early guilty plea.
Prison authorities were also ordered to deduct the convict's time in pre-trial custody, which amounts to roughly six years and four months.
The convicted killer was represented by Attorney-at-Law Teriq Mohammed, while Senior State Counsel Lisa Cave and State Counsel Latifah Elliott delivered the prosecution's case.
Media reports are that James of Matthews Ridge was stabbed about his body by Fredericks while they were imbibing at a bar. The man was rushed to the Matthews Ridge Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
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. He then armed himself with a knife and stabbed James several times.
