We are fearful, say Kartel’s family
We are fearful, say Kartel’s family
THE family of incarcerated entertainer Adidja ‘Vybz Kartel’ Palmer say they are now in fear for their lives following yesterday’s revelation by the police that the convicted deejay gave the cops the whereabouts of several St Catherine wanted men and additional information that led to the recovery of 17 illegal firearms.
According to a police source, the information provided by Kartel before he was arrested was an attempt to ensure his freedom or to obtain a reduced sentence.
It was also revealed in the story that the entertainer was an influential member of the much-feared Spanish Town gang, Klansman, and that the gang carried out murders for the artiste.
However, yesterday, Kartel’s family said they were very upset at the report, saying the information was news to them and that it had put their lives in danger.
“This is endangering the lives of Adidja Palmer’s family, his siblings, and his girlfriend, 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,” said Palmer’s eldest sister, Maureen Nelson.
“Right now I am in fear of my life, ‘Shorty’ (Kartel’s children’s mom) is in fear of her life, the children and all of my brothers and sisters,” she added.
“Everybody is now crying. We thought that when he got sentenced to life in prison it would be over. But that is not the end, it is the beginning,” Nelson said.
She said their fear was justified, given the “informer culture” that exists in the country.
Nelson said they were not sure about how the public had taken the news, but that the family was concerned that their relative would be branded an informer.
“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,” she said.
Kartel’s mother, Teresa Palmer, expressed anger at the police and Police Commissioner Owen Ellington for stating last week that her son was the leader of a gang that was responsible for more than 100 murders.
“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 said.
“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?”
“Why it never come out inna the trial?” she further asked.
Nelson said the media needed to be mindful of what it reports and whether or not the information is credible and how it will affect the family.
Vybz Kartel, Shawn ‘Shawn Storm’ Campbell, Andre St John, and Kahira Jones were convicted on April 3 for the August 16, 2011 beating death of Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams over the disappearance of two illegal guns. Accused Shane Williams was acquitted at the end of the five-month-long trial before Justice Lennox Campbell.
