The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A JUDGE yesterday said in six days’ time he will decide on the sentence for three men involved in an after-school scuffle that led to the fatal stabbing of a C V Bethel student.

Kendario Bain and Owen McKenzie appeared before Acting Chief Justice Stephen Isaacs for their expected sentencing for the February 21, 2008 manslaughter of Jamil Wilchcombe.

A third man, Donald Nottage, faces sentencing for attempted robbery and causing harm for his involvement in the matter.

Their lawyers – Ian Cargill, Michael Kemp and Wallace Rolle – asked the court to be as lenient as possible on the three young men who were not beyond reform.

Prosecutor Roger Thompson had already given submissions to the court at a previous hearing where he asked the judge to send a message to society that such acts would not be tolerated.

The judge said he would give his decision on September 23.

In May, a jury found Bain and McKenzie not guilty of the murder of Wilchcombe. However, they were found guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter.

In 2008, Wilchcombe’s brother, then 16-year-old Lee-Sanchez Dormeus, had left school to go to a nearby barbershop on East Street South when a young man attempted to take his cellular phone. This led to a fight between the two when two other young men joined in to attack Dormeus.

Dormeus’ 17-year-old brother, Wilchcombe, tried to intervene on his sibling’s behalf, but was fatally stabbed in the chest.

It was alleged that Bain, with McKenzie, had intentionally caused the death of Wilchcombe, which was rejected by the jury as the pair was unanimously acquitted.

However, the jury had considered and returned unanimous guilty verdicts for both men on the charge of manslaughter.

Bain, McKenzie and Nottage were also convicted of causing harm to Dormeus, and Nottage was found guilty of the attempted theft of Dormeus’ Verizon Z3 GSM cellular phone.