VANCOUVER, British Columbia – A rapper known as T-Sav was sentenced to two life sentences this week after a British Columbia Supreme Court judge concluded that one of his songs was essentially a confession to a 2017 murder. Under the stage name T-Sav, Tyrel Hieu George Mahoney Nguyen drew on his experiences as a gangster to make music. The Surrey man’s lyrics helped earn him two life sentences for the first-degree murders of gangster Randeep (Randy) Kang and university student Jagvir Singh Malhi.
The evidence presented during the trial included a music video and testimony from a key police witness that convinced Justice Miriam Gropper that Nguyen was guilty of the murders of Kang and Malhi. The judge also convicted Nguyen of the attempted murder of Kang’s brother Gary and associate Camilo Alonso, who both survived the attack.
According to evidence presented during the trial, Randeep Kang’s murder arose from a “beef” between two Lower Mainland gangs – The Brothers Keepers and the Red Scorpions. Malhi’s death appears to have been a mistake, as he had no criminal involvement.
The case included a lengthy investigation and the use of one of Nguyen’s friends as an informant in an undercover operation spanning two provinces. Nguyen, also known as Tyrel Quesnelle, has a Brothers Keepers tattoo on his chest, and the Crown argued that he was a contract killer for the gang, as referenced in his lyrics.
The issue of introducing artistic expressions as evidence of crimes has been argued all the way up to the Supreme Court of Canada. In this case, the judge concluded that the lyrics in the music video pertain to the shooting of Randy Kang, and therefore Mr. Nguyen is claiming in the music video to be the shooter and that he is the principal of first-degree murder of Randy Kang, or at least a party to the murder.
The convictions were applauded by the police, crediting the outcome to a complex and lengthy investigation. Despite concerns about the witness’s credibility, the judge found the evidence to be credible.
In conclusion, a Canadian rapper has been given two life sentences after a judge concluded his song was essentially a confession to a 2017 murder. The case included a lengthy investigation and the use of a friend as an informant in an undercover operation spanning two provinces. Despite concerns about the witness’s credibility, the judge found the evidence to be credible.