Vybz Kartel to spend 30 more days in jail

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DETAINED dancehall act Vybz Kartel has been detained for a further 30 days, a week after he turned himself in to the Greater Portmore Police Station.

Kartel's five-day detention order came to an end yesterday, but was extended a day earlier, on Thursday, when he was served papers informing of his further detention, attorney Christian Tavares-Finson told the Observer.

Tavares-Finson, however, said that the legal team would be seeking the entertainer's release at the Emergency Powers Review Tribunal, set up in the wake of the May 23 State of Public Emergency to combat criminals loyal to accused drug lord and former Tivoli Gardens strongman Christopher 'Dudus' Coke.

"We will be going to the tribunal to get him released," Tavares-Finson said.

Tavares-Finson said the legal team was preparing papers to secure a hearing on Monday.

Kartel was detained last week Friday and underwent intense questioning some three days after the police named him and five other men as major persons of interest.

The artiste, whose given name is Adijah Palmer, was questioned in relation to criminal gangs in Portmore, St Catherine.

Due to the extension of his detention, the artiste will now miss several bookings, both local and overseas, including the annual summer show Reggae Sumfest due to start on July 17.

When Kartel turned himself in last week, his detention was extended from 24 hours to five days.