Dancehall fans mounted fresh concerns over the health of Vybz Kartel as it emerged that his attorneys had won an expedited appeal hearing for the incarcerated Dancehall artist and three other men.
The hearing will take place in the United Kingdom-based Privy Council—Jamaica’s final appellate court—between February 14 and 15, 2024. Kartel is one of four men currently serving life sentences for the 2011 murder of Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams. “Kartel’s health condition has not lessened any,” Isat Buchanan said.
Earlier this year, attorneys revealed that Kartel, whose real name is Adidja Palmer, suffers from Graves’ disease and two heart conditions. His medical conditions were allegedly exacerbated by a 23-hour prison lockdown placed on the deejay following the recent discovery of cellphones within his cell.
“Kartel’s condition has not been contained or regularised, he is ill,” Buchanan admitted, saying that the new dates came as a result of Kartel’s health concerns, which were made public just a few months ago.
The Crown reportedly vigorously opposed the expedition application on Kartel’s medical condition and may have been surprised at the timing of the expedited hearing.
Back in July, Bert Samuels, the attorney for Shawn ‘Shawn Storm’ Campbell, had announced that the UK court had set tentative dates of April 16 through 18 in 2024 to hear the main arguments in the quartet’s appeal. “We are more than ready to proceed on February 14,” attorney-at-law Bert Samuels said.
He added: “The team of attorneys for the four appellants are more than ready. The matter has been set for two days, we must be ready, the accused has been in custody for over 12 years, and therefore we have no choice but to be happy about the fact that the expedition request has been granted, the matter has been moved two months forward. We are ready to roll at that time.”