The murder conviction of popular Jamaican dancehall musician, Vybz Kartel whom rapper Olamide sang about years back has been quashed.
Recall that the artiste whose real name is Adidja Palmer was convicted alongside Shawn Storm Campbell, Kahira Jones, and Andre St John on March 13, 2014, for killing their associate Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams in 2011. They were later sentenced to life imprisonment.
Jamaican Dancehall Musician, Vybz Kartel
However, on Thursday, March 14, the Judicial Committee of the UK Privy Council quashed the murder convictions of the dancehall entertainer and three other men, ruling that the case be sent back to Jamaica’s Court of Appeal for a ruling on whether they should be retried.
The judge’s decision also infringed Kartel’s, and his three co-accused’s “fundamental right to a fair hearing under the Jamaican Constitution”.
The issue of jury misconduct was the sole basis of the Privy Council’s decision to quash the appellants’ convictions in the ruling handed down on Thursday.
The Jamaican Court of Appeal dismissed their appeal against the convictions, and their cases were in the hands of the Privy Council, which ultimately decided to set aside the men’s convictions and sentence.
The case was remitted to the Jamaican Court of Appeal to decide if a retrial would be ordered.
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