Nichol Isidore sentenced to eight years for manslaughter |20 February 2024

Nichol Georges Isidore, 49, of North East Point, was yesterday sentenced to eight years imprisonment for unlawfully stabbing to death Cliff Pillay, 44, on December 7, 2022 at the North East Point playing field.

It was Justice David Esparon who imposed the sentences on Isidore after the nine jurors – five females and four males – had presented their verdicts in the manslaughter case.

Isidore was initially charged with murder and subsequently pleaded not guilty. On February 16, 2024, the alternate count of manslaughter was added, as leave was granted by the court for the charges to be amended.

The convict pleaded guilty to the second count of manslaughter and not to the first count of murder.  The jury accepted the plea. 

Based on argument by counsel for the defence, the court had taken into consideration that Isidore who was under the influence of alcohol on that day, pleaded guilty at the first instance when the charge of manslaughter was added, he was also remorseful for his actions and cooperated with law enforcement from the onset when the incident had occurred.

The trial started in late in January this year.

Compiled by Patrick Joubert