BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – A Vermont man convicted of killing his prison cellmate in 2023 learned his fate on Friday.
Mbyayenge Mafuta was sentenced to eight years in prison, with credit for time served.
In November, Mafuta pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and aggravated assault charges after killing his cellmate, Jeffrey Hall, 55.
Prosecutors noted Mafuta has accepted responsibility for the deadly attack, and in a statement to the judge on Friday, Mafuta apologized for his actions and expressed a willingness to change.
“I will prepare myself to become an independent man. To live on my own, to be able to live a structured life, to have the mental stability to live and be around the community and not have to fall back into my past patterns,” Mafuta said.
The plea agreement also calls for very strict conditions of probation after his release. If Mafuta violates those conditions, he could be sentenced to the underlying 30 years in prison.
