PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The second of two men who admitted to shooting and killing a teenage girl and injuring her brother in West Philadelphia more than three years ago has been sentenced.
Ousmane Fine apologized to the victims’ family, to the court, and to his family for his actions. Fine pleaded guilty last October to third-degree murder, attempted murder, conspiracy, gun violations and other related offenses.
He and Malachi Johnson shot 15-year-old Embaba Mengesteabe and her brother in the head as they drove away from a gas station at Chestnut and 62nd streets on Feb. 23, 2021. Mengesteabe died. Her brother was severely injured, though he survived.
Fine was 18 at the time of the shooting and is now 22. Johnson was 15.
Fine’s father and grandmother told the judge they were crushed and heartbroken by his involvement, and said he was the kind of kid who grew up in the church and volunteered. And they were shocked to hear he shot someone.
At one point, Fine’s mother got on her knees in front of Judge Lillian Ransom and tearfully begged for mercy. She sobbed through much of the hearing and eventually had to step out when it came down to the number of years.
In the end, Ransom sentenced Fine to 15 to 30 years behind bars for shooting the pair of siblings. He has been in custody for two years, and will get credit for time served.
The family of the two victims did not speak. They gave their victim impact statements back in January, during Johnson’s sentencing. Johnson was sentenced to 23 1/3 to 47 years behind bars.