Vybz Kartel faces fresh setback after Privy Council appeal ruling

Dancehall legend, Adidja Palmer, more popularly known as Vybz Kartel, sees a major setback in his quest to secure an early prison release after the Privy Council rejected his request to admit new evidence.

Palmer, who is serving a life sentence for the 2011 murder of Clive “Lizard” Williams, applied to the Privy Council to admit new evidence that would substantiate his appeal. However, those applications to present new proof, which includes expert eyewitness information related to cellphone evidence, were denied by the UK’s highest court on Feb. 15.

The United Kingdom-based Privy Council has refused an application by Jamaican dancehall star Vybz Kartel to introduce new evidence to support his murder appeal.

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The Privy Council also denied the same request for Palmer’s co-accused in the case, Shawn Campbell aka Shawn Storm, Andre St. John and Kahira Jones.

Despite initial reports claiming the Privy Council denied the appeal outright, the Director of Public Prosecutions Paula Llewellyn, clarified the appeal is still under consideration. However, a decision on the appeal may not come until 2024, with the Privy Council expected to bring up the matter involving late this year or early next year.

Palmer is eligible for parole after serving 35 years in prison. He went to the Privy Council after the local courts denied his appeal.