AN ongoing dispute between two men in the Sherwood Content District of Trelawny, has left one dead and the other facing a charge of murder.

Arrested and charged with the death of 40-year-old Leslie Johnson, is Michael Bell, a labourer from the District

Allegations are that at about 6:30 am on Wednesday, Johnson and Bell had a dispute, and one of them brought a knife into play. A struggle ensued, and Johnson was stabbed in the lower back, while Bell received a wound to the head.

Johnson was rushed to the Falmouth General Hospital, some 1.7 miles away, where he was pronounced dead. Bell was treated at hospital and later arrested and charged for Johnson’s murder.

He is scheduled to appear in the Falmouth Resident Magistrate’s Court next Tuesday to answer to the charge.

Residents told the Observer that although they were aware that the two men had been having frequent quarrels over the last few months, they did not think that it would have resulted in murder.

Johnson’s death brings to five, the number of murders committed in the parish since the start of the year.

And according to Detective Inspector Nigel Hart of the Falmouth CIB, during the first six months of this year, three murders were committed. Two of these cases have been cleared up to date. The comparative figures for last year, were six murders, with three being cleared up.