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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Manslaughter plea in stabbing death

By: Staff Writer

Posted: 09/26/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

A Winnipeg man has admitted to stabbing a teen to death during a confrontation on a downtown street.

Abiola Akintunde Matthews, 37, pleaded guilty to manslaughter Tuesday after striking a deal with justice officials who dropped a second-degree murder charge.

Matthews will be sentenced later this year, although no specific date has been set. He remains in custody and could be deported to Africa once his time is served.

A second-degree murder conviction would have carried an automatic life sentence with no parole eligibility for at least 10 years. There is no mandatory minimum sentence for manslaughter, which implies the killing was not an intentional act.

Michael Mariak Jok, 17, died in September 2009 after being stabbed near a friend's West Broadway apartment.

Jok's family members were devastated, including his mother, who had to be hospitalized for stress.

Matthews also stabbed a 21-year-old man near Young Street and Portage Avenue. He was rushed to hospital and survived.

Police said the two victims were walking together when they began arguing with people in a vehicle, including Matthews. The pair were stabbed after the argument became physical. The suspects fled the scene, but Matthews was arrested days later.

Further details on the case will be submitted at the sentencing hearing.

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition September 26, 2012 B4

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