After being locked up for nine days by the police, dancehall artiste Tommy Lee Sparta was yesterday ordered released from police custody.
The entertainer, whose given name is Leroy Russell, was ordered released from custody by St James parish judge Sandria Wong-Small. She said Tommy Lee was not properly detained by the police under the state of emergency.
The police had claimed that Tommy Lee had fled St James and that he could not be found at the St Andrew address which was given for him. He was detained in St Andrew last Sunday and taken to St James where he was being held under the state of emergency.
Here are some of the responses to his release.
Arlene Harrison-Henry, public defender
“We keep saying that there is need to improve the investigative capacity of the JCF and we make that point again. He who alleges needs to be in a position to prove and advance one’s case in court.”
Scorpio Queen, cyber hustler
“A true yuh neven know how me happy. Over the years dem an arrest him,d em need fi stop. Everything weh happen a MoBay dem blame the man. Him not even live a MoBay anymore.”
Tanya Thelwell, Tommy Lee’s manager
“He had two shows on Saturday and right now I am sure a lot of promoters that are booked already are concerned that their permits are not going to be granted. That is the issue we have been having, the police denying the permits to these promoters especially on the day of the event. There is no statement or anything coming from the commissioner’s office to say that Tommy Lee cannot perform but it has been happening nonetheless”.
Keona Williams, publicist
“The manner in which he was arrested and the subsequent transfer from Kingston, where he currently resides, to another area that is under a state of emergency was a major concern as it relates to the rights of Jamaican citizens.
Joe Bogdanovich, Sumfest principal
“The release of Tommy Lee means that you will get to see the best performance that he had ever performed at Reggae Sumfest, and I am not concerned about anything else hampering him from coming.”
***@vybzkartel on Instagram
“BUDUDUP! A #Gaza pickney. Big Up Mr Tom Tavares Finson OH!!!”
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