Man imprisoned in slaying

A so- called follower has been sentenced to 10 years and 8 months in prison for his role in the three-on-one beating and drowning of a 15- year- old after a private Caribana party. Raymond Mackhan, 21, uttered a soft “ I’m sorry” before being sentenced yesterday in the Aug. 4, 2003, killing of Terrence Ali.

Because Mackhan had been in custody for two years and one month since his arrest, Justice David Watt reduced his sentence by four years and two months, at the standard twoforone rate. As a result, he’ll serve six years and six months. The judge noted Mackhan’s remorse, guilty plea to manslaughter and his lesser role — he was described by his lawyer as a “ follower” — in the death. But nonetheless, Watt noted, Mackhan was a principal in an attack that showed “ complete disregard for human life.” The three killers left a party on Bridgend St., near Port Union Rd. and Lake Ontario in Scarborough, at about 3: 30 a. m., ostensibly to walk the inebriated and drugged Ali north to a bus stop. Instead, they walked south toward GO train tracks, according to an agreed statement of facts read in court when Mackhan pleaded guilty in July. Over the course of a protracted beating, Ali was stripped of all his clothes and suffered multiple blunt- trauma injuries to his head and neck, the statement said. Although his injuries were enough to kill him, he was still breathing when he was dumped into Lake Ontario. The actual cause of death was drowning, the court had heard.

In June, Jason Habibullah, 21, was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 15 years for second-degree murder. On Aug. 19, a 20- year- old who cannot be named because he was 17 at the time of the slaying received a six- year sentence after pleading guilty in Youth Court to first- degree murder.