Man stabs friend in argument over ring

Members of the public and staff of a Corporate Area court were left stunned on Monday, when a deejay admitted to stabbing his friend over a ring he gifted three years ago.

The defendant, Andrew Ormsby, was chided by Senior Parish Judge Sanchia Burrell for his actions, which landed him in custody for the past three weeks.

"You are here in jail over a ring you gave to a man," the senior jurist reasoned. Ormsby pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding, following an incident which happened in Half-Way Tree in August. Prosecutors contend that there was an argument between Ormsby and the complainant, which became physical. Ormsby, the court heard, pulled a knife from his bag and chased the complainant, stabbing him twice in the hand.

But Ormsby offered an explanation for his actions. The 37-year-old man shared that he plays music at a bar in Clock Tower Plaza and about three years ago, he gifted the complainant a ring.

"It was a friendship ring because me see him as a loyal friend," Ormsby explained. He added that he, the complainant and other persons are part of a WhatsApp group, and there was a discussion which turned disrespectful.

"Him [the complainant] a diss me up and a make some talk. Me tell him say him never yet support me and me ask him back for the ring," Ormsby said.

"So you want back the ring because you getting divorced?" Burrell interjected.

"No, we never engaged. Him just wasn't my friend any more," Ormsby responded.

"Me ask him for the ring and him say it lost inna taxi. Me tell him say a $5,000 for the ring, just so him can pay me back, and him pull a scissors from a man stall and stab me and me stab him back with me knife," he continued.

The senior judge, not amused by Ormsby's explanation, set the matter for sentencing on November 21, and issued a subpoena for the investigator to attend. Ormsby was remanded in custody and was made the subject of a fingerprint order. A social enquiry report was also requested by the judge and the complainant is expected to bring receipts for the injuries he sustained.