Jamaica and dancehall fans around the world are celebrating the quashing of the murder conviction of popular dancehall star Vybz Kartel also known as “World Boss” who has been behind bars for more than a decade.
On Thursday the Privy Council in London overturned the conviction.
Reuters reports that the Jamaican dancehall star won his appeal in a London court over his conviction for the murder of Clive “Lizard” Williams, an associate more than a decade ago.
“The musician, whose real name is Adidja Palmer, is one of Jamaica’s most popular artists and has collaborated with performers such as Jay-Z and Rihanna,” Reuters reported.
In Jamaica, the news was greeted with jubilation.
Residents of Waterford in Portmore, St Catherine, celebrate the Privy Council’s decision to quash the murder convictions of dancehall the 48-year-old entertainer and three other men.
Kartel was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 35 years, later reduced on appeal to 32-and-a-half.
Last month, Kartel and his co-defendants mounted their final possible appeal at the Privy Council in London, the final court of appeal in Jamaica and some other Commonwealth countries.
The court allowed their appeals on Thursday, in a ruling which could see Kartel and his co-defendants face a retrial.
It is yet to be seen what decision Jamaica’s courts will make for the “Dancehall Hero.”
Kartel’s 64-day trial was one of the longest in Jamaican history, and ended with the entertainer being ordered to serve a minimum of 35 years in jail.
This was later reduced to 32-and-a-half years.
Kartel and his co-accused Shawn Campbell, Kahira Jones, and Andre St John had maintained their innocence since the original trial in 2014.
