KINGSTON Jamaica — Two 59-year-old men whose financial dispute led to a knife injury had their case settled through mediation on Tuesday.

Hector Davis was brought before the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on charges of unlawful wounding.

Case details are that in 2019 Davis paid the complainant, a carpenter, $121,000 to prepare a bed and a dresser. The complainant delivered the bed valued at $45 000 but years later, up to 2023, he still had not delivered the dresser.

That year the complaint said his workshop was consumed in a fire and he paid the accused $50,000 with an agreement to pay the remainder later.

But in court on Tuesday, the complainant claimed Davis embarrassed him in public one evening by asking loudly for the money and in response he hurled slurs at the accused. Davis then allegedly attacked him and the complainant pulled a knife in response.

In his defence, Davis told the court that he did ask for his money but said, “The man tell me the s word about my mother.” He added that he was especially upset that the complainant not only owed him money but “dissed” him.

He admitted to drawing for a stone but said he never intended to carry out any harm to the complainant. When the complainant pulled a knife, Davis reportedly grabbed it and in the tussle, the complainant got cut in the palm.

“It was not my intention to cut him,” the man swore in court. “He is my friend!”

When Burrell queried if Davis still considered the complainant a friend he answered confidently, “Yes!”

The complainant, however, still refused to pay over the money resulting in a dressing down from the judge who told him the situation was of his own doing.

“Had you given the man his things on time, had you paid him on time, [this likely would not have happened]” Burrell said.

Both men then agreed to mediation which was declared successful in a matter of hours.

Davis was then freed with a promise to pay $15,000 for the complainant’s medical expenses and write off any other funds owed to him.

— Dana Malcolm