Kidnapper to spend next four years in prison

A young man who pleaded guilty to kidnapping another man, who was later found with 35 stab wounds to his neck, was sentenced to prison for four years.

Zane Lewis, who was 23-years old at the time of the offence, appeared at the High Court before Justice Brian Cottle on Tuesday, April 16, 2024, where he was sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to entering the dwelling house of Travez Fernandez as a trespasser, and at the time of doing so, had a weapon of offence to wit a cutlass; and that he stole and carried away Fernandez without his consent or any other legal authority.

The facts read that Lewis and another man went to Fernandez’ home. Fernandez was held at gun point, and was stabbed 35 times around his neck. His body was later discovered in the vicinity of the South Rivers playing field. Fernandez’ murder was said to have occurred at around 6:52 a.m on June 25.

Cottle informed the court that the maximum sentence that Lewis can receive for the offence of abduction is 14 years imprisonment. He considered that there was severe physical harm done to the virtual complainant, and that he was killed, so he placed this offence in category one. He then considered that Lewis played a significant role in committing the offence and that there was a degree of planning.

He also considered that there was “forced entry in the home of the victim,” so he placed the offence into level A and began sentencing with a starting point of 75% of the maximum sentence for the offence, which equates to 10 years and six months in prison.

Aggravating of the offence was that there was forced entry into Fernandez’s home and that he was killed. Mitigating of the offence is that Lewis “played a significant role” in the kidnapping, “though it was not the leading role”. Mitigating of the offender is that he is relatively young, did not attain a high education and that he has had no previous convictions.

Lewis also “consistently admitted to taking part in the kidnapping”. The court found that the mitigating factors outweighed the aggravating factors and so the sentence was reduced by one year and six months, resulting in a notional sentence of nine years. The court also considered Lewis’ guilty plea and offered him a one-third discount, resulting in a notional sentence of six years imprisonment.

Two years was further deducted from Lewis’ sentence for assisting the police and testifying against his co-accused in the murder trial of Fernandez, resulting in a sentence of four years imprisonment. Time spent on remand, which amounted to two years and 11 months was also deducted from his sentence. Therefore, Lewis will serve a remaining sentence of one year and one month in prison.

Cottle said that he has considered suspending the sentence. However, he said that there is “no escaping that a life has been lost,” so the sentence will remain as it is.

Zane Lewis was charged alongside another man for the murder of Fernandez. However, Lewis’ co-accused was acquitted of those charges, and the Prosecution later withdrew the charge against Lewis.