A self-confessed murderer will spend a minimum of 17 and a half years behind bars before he can be considered for release for the slaying of his friend.

Justice Carlisle Greaves sentenced Javonne Rommel Haynes of Syndicate Road, Bush Hall, St Michael, to life imprisonment with a starting point of a tariff of 35 years for murdering Kadeem Brathwaite on June 7, 2020, before several deductions were made including that for the deceased’s “extremely provocative” behavior..

Several witness statements were read in No. 3 Supreme Court, which placed Brathwaite and a number of his friends at Reece Road, Bush Hall, with Haynes and another man walking past the group. The witnesses stated that Brathwaite approached and held onto Haynes while searching him.