A 28-year-old higgler of Portmore, St Catherine was last Friday sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of a man in his community.

Julian Brown, who is the father of an 11-year-old girl, was ordered by Justice Jennifer Straw to serve 28 years of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole.

In passing judgement, Justice Straw told Brown that what he did was a "heinous, cruel and wicked act" as there was no evidence that he and the victim, Howard Thompson, were involved in any dispute or were part of any gang.

Thompson was said to be talking with someone outside his home in Naggo Head, Portmore in 2009 when Brown came up and shot him. While he was on the ground, Brown again pumped more bullets in him, "to make sure the job was done", according to the judge.

"A wah mi do, Markie?" were Thompson's last words to his attacker who was standing over him, according to evidence given in the Home Circuit Court trial in October.

Brown was convicted on October 16.

On Friday, attorney Linton Walters asked the court's leniency in sentencing.

Linton to the court that Brown had no previous conviction, he has been behind bars since April 2009, and that he was the provider for his daughter.

According to Linton, Brown had to pick up the gun or face the consequences from gunmen in his Naggo Head community.

"I ask for him to come back old enough to be wise but young enough to have some time with his daughter," Linton said.

Before sentencing Brown, Justice Straw told him that he made a choice to "cut off" Thompson and that he had to pay for his action. She told that he's not the only one who will pay for his bad choice but his daughter and family as well.