A Dominican man with no fixed address in St. Vincent has been jailed for nine months for stabbing a man in the stomach with a 15-inch-long metal rod, causing a 6cm wound.
“You’ll find somewhere to lay your head than prowling around sleeping in people car,” Magistrate Bertie Pompey told the defendant, Marlon Telemaque after passing sentence.
Telemaque was found guilty of unlawfully and maliciously wounding Augustus Humphrey, of Langley Park, on Oct. 26, 2023 by stabbing him in the stomach with a piece of steel, resulting in the 6cm wound.
The defendant had also been charged that on Nov. 25 and 28, 2023, at New Chapmans, he entered the dwelling house (porch) of Marcus Forbes as a trespasser to wit, to annoy.
However, the prosecutor, Corporal of Police Delando Charles later withdrew those charges citing a section of the law that suggested that the complainant no longer had interest in the matter.
Telemaque underwent psychiatric evaluation at the Mental Health and Rehabilitation Centre before his trial, which came after several adjournments since his Nov. 30, 2023 arraignment.
The cases had been adjourned a number of times at the request of the defendant who said he was seeking legal representation.
During a number of his court appearances, Telemaque told the court that Grant Connell was his lawyer, but as the trial was about to begin, said that he had not paid Connell.
Humphrey testified that about 11:30 p.m. on Oct. 26, 2023, he accompanied a friend to her house.
When he returned home, his nephew told him something and as a result he went to his black BMW, which was parked along the main road.
Humphrey said he opened the left side of the front door and saw the defendant, whom he did not know, lying on the back seat.
He said he told the defendant to get out of the vehicle so he (Humphrey) could have a word with him.
Humphrey told the court that Telemaque had an object and “shoved” his hand at him twice but he shifted and the defendant ran.
Humphrey said that within a few seconds he received a stab in his stomach and realised he was bleeding and asked his neighbour for assistance in getting to the Georgetown Police Station.
Humphrey said that although the lighting was not all that bright, he was about two feet away from the defendant whom he also kept under observation for about 10 minutes before he first approached him in the vehicle.
During cross examination, Humphrey said he did not have a cutlass when he opened the car door.
The court also heard the evidence of PC977 Fergus who was on duty at the Georgetown Police Station on Oct. 27, 2023 about 12:30 a.m., when Humphrey reported against Telemaque.
Fergus said Humphrey had what appeared to be a wound on the left side of his stomach.
The officer issued the complainant with a medical injury form and visited the scene at Langley Park with Humphrey and observed a black BMW parked along the main road near Quammie’s Shop.
He said Humphrey pointed out that he was standing about three feet away from the vehicle at the time of the incident.
The officer said that on Nov. 10, 2023, PC179 Andrews returned to the station from district duties and handed over to him an orange bike Telemaque was allegedly riding.
The bike had a piece of steel about 15 inches in length with a pointed end and a blue rope tied to the other end.
The bike and the steel were kept at the station.
Telemaque later gave a statement under caution, saying Humphrey “pulled out a hatchet on me, a small one, and I pulled out my weapon”.
Telemaque said he showed Telemaque the piece of steel that was handed over to him by Andrews.
Telemaque identified it but refused to sign it.
The piece of metal was produced in court as an exhibit.
Meanwhile, Telemaque declined to give evidence during the trial, saying he agrees with the caution statement that was read.
In handing down his sentence, the magistrate said the charge carries a maximum of 14 years in prison at the High Court level and seven years before a magistrate.
He sentenced the defendant to nine months in prison.
The prosecutor told the court that prosecution is yet to investigate the defendant’s immigration status and contact their Dominican counterparts.
The magistrate also ordered that the steel rod be confiscated.
Send back the Dominican to his country we have enough to deal with in SVG