Embattled dancehall superstar, Vybz Kartel issued a statement yesterday asking for his fans and supporters to stop making threats. The threats, predominately against members of the media are subsequent to Vybz’ murder conviction in March in the Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams trial.
Vybz Kartel (nee Adidja Azim Palmer ) was sentenced to life on April 3 and since then several threats have been made against journalists supposedly due to their trial coverage. Digicel, one of the largest Caribbean telecommunications companies, was also threatened upon the release of voice messages which pretty much put a smoking gun in the hands of Vybz Kartel. Abka Fitz-Henley of Nationwide News reportedly was on the receiving end of some of these threats after playing the voice messages obtained by the local radio station.
A Jamaica Observer reporter allegedly also received threat messages. In light of this, Kartel issued the following statement on Tuesday morning:
“I appeal to any misguided individual or individuals who may think it appropriate to seek to threaten or intimidate anyone to stop it,” he said. “Such action is not helping me or my fellow appellants and is playing into the hands of the police and others who are seeking to discredit me and prejudice the fair hearing of my appeal.”
“During my sentencing hearing, my attorney, Tom Tavares-Finson, indicated to the court that I hold no ill-will to any of the persons involved in my trial, neither the police, prosecutors, executives from Digicel and certainly not any member of the media who covered my trial in a manner which exposed the weaknesses in the prosecution’s case for all the world to see,” he said.
“I reiterate the position, I hold no ill-will to anyone who was involved in my trial, and I put my faith in the judicial system and the appeal process on which we have now embarked. In the meantime I thank my family, friends and fans who continue to support and have faith in me.” ~Vybz Kartel
Amidst all of this, Kartel’s family is reportedly living in fear after the post-trial release of information alleging that Vybz Kartel may have offered to rat out others in exchange for his freedom and may have had gang ties.
“This is endangering the lives of Adidja Palmer’s family, his siblings, and his girlfriend,” Maureen Nelson, Kartel’s eldest sister, told the Jamaica Observer. “When a news like this come on the radio and we don’t know if it is credible, we don’t know the source… and they don’t think about how it is affecting our lives.”
“Everybody is now crying. We thought that when he got sentenced to life in prison it would be over,” she continued. “We are locked up in the house right now. We have fears of reprisals and I don’t even know how John public will react to us.”
His mother, Teresa Palmer expressed her anger:
“When him a go come and a seh how much people Kartel kill and that never come out in the trial, him not doing him job,” she told the newspaper. “Why now when dem done tell lie seh him kill man and dem no find no body and police tamper with the evidence and give him life sentence dem a go seh all these things?” Palmer asked. “Why are all these things coming out now?”
I find all of this news disturbing and hope that peace will come to ALL families involved… I hope!
