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‘Fish’ gets 11 years for manslaughter
Phillip Bacchus called ‘Fish’ (Photo credit: Stabroek News)
Kaieteur News – Phillip Bacchus, called ‘Fish, 55, of Mahdia, Region Eight, was sentenced to 11 years in prison on Thursday for the unlawful death of Leavern Daniels.
Bacchus was originally indicted for murder, but he pleaded guilty to the lesser count of manslaughter. It is alleged that between 9th May, 2019 and the 10th May, 2019 at Princeville Village, Mahdia, Bacchus killed Daniels, called ‘Toy’ and ‘Roy’. His sentence was handed down by Justice Navindra Singh at the Essequibo High Court.
State Prosecutor, Caressa Henry, had asked the court to consider aggravating factors to the crime, such as the weapon [a knife] used in the commission of the crime and the nature and seriousness of the injury sustained by the deceased. Justice Singh had initially imposed a 24 years prison sentence but eight years was deducted for the guilty plea, four years for a favourable probation report which reflected that he has no prior issues with the law, three years for genuine remorse and two years added for the impact, the killing had on the victim’s family.
In handing down the sentence, the judge noted that there was a fundamental breakdown- the accused’s response to being annoyed was unreasonable. He said persons must endeavour to resolve conflicts and perceived issues by walking away; the accused did not have the necessity to resort to violence
As such, the judge said the message must be sent to persons so that they understand that in a civilised society, conflict should not be addressed with violence – persons must learn avoidance. According to facts of the case, Alexcena Joseph, a witness to the crime, said on the 9th May, 2019, she came to the bar where she works in Princeville Village to sell gold, and she bought it from Bacchus.
She claimed that on the night of the incident, she heard him [Bacchus] saying loudly that he wanted to kill somebody and that he would kill somebody that night. She was in the bar at that time, but she peeped out and saw him repeating those words over and over. However, she was not clear who he was talking to. She related that Bacchus and two other males were at the bar that night, and the deceased was in that same yard.
Later in the night, around 2:00 am, another patron, Valarie Edwards, called out to her and told her to come see something ugly that happened. She then opened the door, went outside and saw the deceased behind the building lying on the ground with his “guts” out. She then called the police.
On the said 10th May, 2019, a detective stationed at Mahdia Police Station visited the scene in Princeville Village and observed the deceased lying on the ground. He examined the body and saw a wound on the left side abdomen, and his guts were protruding. He then escorted the deceased to Mahdia Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. On 12th May, 2019, the detective arrested Bacchus as he was seated on a tree stump in the vicinity of Kangarara Backdam.
Bacchus was told of the allegation and reportedly admitted to committing the crime. He reportedly told the police that he was imbibing when an Amerindian man came up to him and called him a racist slur. He said “we end up in a heated argument and me stab he with a knife and me run away”. Bacchus later told the police, “While I was standing by the shop two Amerindian men came up to me, one was in front of me and the other one was standing behind me. The one that was standing in front of me start to tell me about black man and me and he started to argue and I became annoyed. At the time, I had a white handle knife in my pants waist and I take it out and I stab the Amerindian man who was arguing with me and I run away and went into my camp and sleep… I am sorry for what happen.”
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