One of Jamaica’s most enigmatic figures in Dancehall music has been set free after having been sentenced to life in prison in 2014.
Vybz Kartel and co-defendants Shawn’ Shawn Storm’ Campbell, Andre St John, and Kahira Jones were arrested in 2011 and charged with the murder of Clive Lizard Williams.
Their trial lasted sixty-four days and is being described as one of the longest in Jamaica’s history.
Since their sentencing in 2014, the men’s lawyers have sought a retrial, eventually taking their case to the Privy Council.
On March 14, 2024, the Privy Council in London, Jamaica’s final court of appeal, granted the lawyers for the defendants a hearing.
The court overturned the convictions of Kartel and the co-accused and ruled that the Court of Appeal of Jamaica should decide whether they should be ordered to stand a retrial.
The lawyers for the defendants had argued that their clients had not received a fair trial due to jury misconduct.
On Wednesday, July 31, 2024, the Court of Appeal of Jamaica heard submissions by the prosecution and the defendant and ruled in favour of the defendants.
Justice Marva McDonald Bishop, the president of the Court of Appeal, disclosed the considerations in arriving at the ruling when delivering the court’s decision.
“We have considered all the factors governing the court’s determination of whether a new trial should be ordered and have given due regard of all of the material submissions and evidence presented by the appellants and the Crown,” McDonald Bishop said.
“We commence by stating the egregious nature and the seriousness of the offense in this case beyond argument so too is the prevalence of the offense of murder in Jamaica,” she stated.
She went on to say that there were several equally powerful factors that, when combined, “militate against ordering a new trial.”
Among the factors outlined was the insufficient and inadequate account by the prosecution of the availability of its witnesses and trial exhibits.
The court also considered its financial resources, the medical effect on the main defendant, whose health was said to be in decline, and the length of time a new trial would take.
In addition, the court considered the length of time that has elapsed since the incident, since the elapse has resulted in the breach of the accused men’s right to trial within a reasonable time.
“We conclude that the interest of justice do not require a new trial to be ordered for the appellants and we therefore make the following order judgement and the verdicts of acquittal,” McDonald Bishop said Wednesday.
Isat Buchanan, who declared that the trial proved that the Justice System works, represented Vybz Kartell.
He said Vybz Kartel should be home by this evening (Wednesday July 31) in time to celebrate Emancipation day with Jamaicans on August 1, 2024.
Who the f@$k is this Imbecile? This bugger is not a person I would introduce to my parents at all. He is a criminal and the world knows it (even though some will deny that fact).
Crow go SYMC…do you know the meaning of justice?…everyone before the courts deserves a fair trial and from the get go kartel was stigmatized and treated unjust…guess what?…you can fly high fly low your rant and opinion is so irrelevant….like kartel would say..go eat a big dirty unwashed figure you hater……
FREEDOM ISSA MUST…only god and time.
@Crow, another clown coming back out to poison weak minded people. Shame on the JDF for messing up in this case.
Imagine putting the name of this idiot in the same sentence as the freedom of African people from their oppressors.
There’s another one from Jamaica who is in prison in the Netherlands for attacking an agent in a money dispute. Jah something I believe his name is. I guess if he is sent back to Jamaica he will be released real fast too. Kartel has celebrity status on the island, and looks like that was a factor in the ruling.
@John Public. You, as a young person has been brainwashed by a CRIMANAL who does not identify with you. He sees himself with another race (bleaches his skin). Being a negroid is not acceptable to him. All he wants from you is your money and allegiance and you have gladly given that to him. So, @John Public, stop being infantile and grow up.
Back on the streets to continue business as usual a good role model to the already brainwashed ediots what a shame
these young people out there kissing mate blem lizard looking ass but the reality of it is they don’t care if he was guilty or not. they never cared even when he was first arrested. i’m sure if he was a regular criminal, if he was just Adidja Azim Palmer, no one would want him and his accomplices roaming the streets.
He look like a mabouya, what irony that the name of the person he was accused of killing is “Lizard”
Imagine being a criminal in society gives u the highest seat today. And we wonder why things are where they are.