Vendor chops colleague during dispute

A Corporate Area vendor in downtown Kingston admitted to hitting another higgler, but said he did so out of fear for his life.

"Your Honour, over two years now this man tekking set on me. Him tell me say, when me inna me stall a sleep, him ago come over me and start stab me, and that him must get rid of me one way or another," explained the defendant Naptalee Wynter.

He appeared in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on Thursday where he pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and assault at common law. The court heard that, on February 29, Wynter went to the complainant, asking him why he told persons not to purchase at his stall. As the complainant walked away, Wynter flung an umbrella, hitting the complainant, then used a machete to chop him.

"Him say if him can't get rid of me one way out of town, him ago get rid of me another way," Wynter said, adding that it was the reason he threw the umbrella.

"But you don't think that you doing that was sort of egging him on? You saying him threaten you, but him don't do you nothing," Senior Parish Judge Lori-Anne Cole-Montaque argued.

"Your Honour, when me lie down in my shop, me don't know what can reach me," Wynter contended.

"I hear what you're saying," the senior jurist said.

The complainant indicated that he wanted $60,000 from Wynter as compensation for his injuries. Wynter agreed and made a first payment of $20,000 in court. The matter was adjourned until April 17, for further payments and sentencing.