Entertainment

DREADLOCKED

file - Sizzla

REGGAE SINGER SIZZLA was yesterday sentenced to serve 15 days in jail for the language he used at the Red Label wine East Fest concert held on Christmas Day in St Thomas, but up to press time yesterday, lawyers acting on his behalf were preparing an appeal for the sentence.

The singer was given the sentence in the Yallahs Resident Magistrate's Court, two weeks after pleading guilty there to the charge of using indecent language.

His attorney Charmaine Rhoden had entered the guilty plea on his behalf, and had apologised to the court for Sizzla's actions.

On that day (January 19), the presiding Magistrate Bertram Linton accepted the plea, but postponed handing down the judgment until yesterday.

The Constabulary Communications Network, the police's information arm, confirmed with THE STAR that the singer was sentenced to 15 days in jail, and would spend it in the Yallahs Lockup.

Road block

As news of the judgement broke out, some residents of August Town, the community where Sizzla is originally from, headed to the streets of that community, blocking a section the August Town main road with debris, protesting the 15 day sentence.

The police and other residents later cleared this however as news spread that an appeal was being made on Sizzla's behalf. At his previous court appearance, dozens of supporters lined the perimeter of the courthouse which was heavily guarded by police. Immediately after his dismissal from that court session, he was taken to the Traffic Court in Kingston where he answered to an outstanding traffic ticket from 1997.

Sizzla is one of Jamaica's most prominent singers, and over the years has developed an enviable reputation as a talented yet uncompromising Reggae entertainer. He has had over 20 albums released to date, and tours extensively for the most part of each year.

Several of his supporters at his previous court session claimed that he was being unfairly targeted by the police, as other artistes who were present at the show had used indecent language as well and they were not arrested.