Jamaican dancehall super star , Vybz Kartel has finally released from prison after serving 13years for alleged involvement in murder.
The dancehall singer was today acquitted and discharged from all charges against him and others.
After over a decade behind bars Vybz Kartel has been freed. The Court of Appeal in Jamaica announced the decision to release Kartel and his co-accused, citing various factors that influenced their verdict.
The court acknowledged the lengthy period the men had already spent in custody and the potential challenges and impacts of a retrial on their health and well-being.
Vybz Kartel, along with Shawn, Kahira Jones, and Andre St. John, had been convicted in 2014 for the 2011 murder of Clive William.
Their convictions were quashed by the UK-based Privy Council, which sent the case back to Jamaica’s Court of Appeal to decide whether to order a retrial or acquit the men.
Justice Marva McDonald Bishop, President of the Court of Appeal, emphasized the absence of key exhibits and witnesses, which made a retrial impractical.
The defense for Kartel had highlighted his deteriorating health, including a diagnosis of Graves’ disease, as a significant concern.
The court considered these health issues alongside the lengthy judicial process and the implications of potentially prolonged detention without a definitive resolution.
Ultimately, the court decided that it was not in the interest of justice to pursue a retrial, leading to the men’s release.
In the whole world, high profile cases usually get so much attention which leaves the judicial system under pressure to give a ruling or give the society an opportunity to judge the whole system.