A PRISON officer who was accused of fatally stabbing a colleague during a confrontation linked to a romantic dispute has been acquitted after a jury accepted that he had acted in self-defence.After deliberating at the Hall of Justice in Port of Spain on Wednesday, a 12-member jury returned a not-guilty verdict in the murder trial of Jevon Atiba Sylvester before Justice Maria Busby Earle-Caddle.Sylvester, now in his mid-30s, had been charged with the June 2014 killing of 37-year-old prison officer Dominique Bernard.The incident occurred at an apartment in Claxton Bay occupied by a female prison officer who had previously been involved in a relationship with Bernard and later began dating Sylvester.Evidence in the case suggested tensions between the two men escalated after Sylvester unexpectedly visited the apartment and found Bernard there the day before the fatal encounter.The following day, Sylvester returned to retrieve a cellular phone he had left behind. His mother reportedly remained in a vehicle outside while he went to the apartment.An altercation broke out between the two men and Bernard sustained multiple stab wounds. He later died from his injuries.Sylvester left the scene but surrendered to police later that day.During the trial, prosecutors sought to prove the killing was premeditated. They alleged that during the confrontation the previous day, Sylvester had threatened Bernard and displayed the knife that was later used in the incident.However, Sylvester denied making any threats and maintained he acted to defend himself after being attacked.Defence attorney Dane Halls argued that the evidence supported a verdict of self-defence. He alternatively submitted that if the jury found the force used was excessive, it should consider the lesser offence of manslaughter on the basis that Sylvester had been provoked.The jury ultimately acquitted Sylvester of both murder and manslaughter.Following the verdict, Halls expressed sympathy for Bernard’s relatives while welcoming the jury’s decision.“This is not a matter where anyone can be completely happy because a man lost his life,” Halls said, extending condolences to Bernard’s family.He also criticised the lengthy delay before the case came to trial, noting that his client had spent more than a decade in custody before the matter was heard.Following the verdict, Sylvester was released from the Maximum Security Prison in Arouca, from where he attended the hearing via video link.