BUJU BANTON GUILTY ON THREE COCAINE COUNTS
Daraine Luton, Senior Staff Reporter in Tampa, Florida
Jamaica’s reggae superstar Buju Banton, real name Mark Myrie, has been found guilty of three cocaine related charges.
A 12 member jury a short while ago delivered the verdict in the Sam M Gibbons building in Tampa which houses the United States Middle District Court, Florida Division.
Buju was found guilty on conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine.
He was found not guilty for attempting to possess five kilograms or more of cocaine.
He was found guilty for aiding and abetting others in using a communication facility in the commission of a felony.
He was also found guilty for knowingly and intentionally possessing a firearm in furtherance of and during the course of a drug-trafficking crime.
Buju was tried last week on four charges.
Buju throughout the maintained he is innocent of the charges saying he play no part in any conspiracy to possess cocaine.
In denying the claims against him, Buju, though his attorney David Oscar Markus, argued that the artiste never became a willing participant of the cocaine conspiracy charged in the superseding indictment.
The defence said tasting the cocaine, talking about cocaine and simply being present at the warehouse is not sufficient to find Buju guilty of the crimes charged.
This trial, which began on February 14, was the second attempt of the US government to convict the Jamaican artiste. A first trial last year was declared a mistrial after jurors failed to arrive at a unanimous position.
Buju was arrested on December 10, 2009.
His long-time friend Ian Thomas and a James Mack were arrested the same day when they attempted to buy cocaine from undercover detectives in a Florida warehouse. Thomas and Mack pleaded guilty but Buju denied the charges. He said he decided to fight in federal court because he knows he is innocent.
FANTAN MOJAH LOOKS FOR A RETURN
Reggae artiste Fantan Mojah is adamant that he will return to his place in reggae music as an educator and cultural ambassador for the youth.
He is gearing up to educate and entertain patrons, who will witness his upcoming performances at the Follow Di Arrow and Spring Break stage shows, and said he plans to please the crowd with informative, educating and entertaining pieces which will remind and encourage the crowd to keep in tune with their cultural heritage.
“My music is all about upliftment and inspiring people to do right so we just ago bring it to the people on the shows,” he told The Gleaner.
As an aside, the artiste, known for hits such as Hail Di King, Mama Hungry and Stronger, is among several artistes who have chimed in on the ‘skin-bleaching’ debate.
“Wi give thanks for the blackness on the earth, and wi give thanks for the persons dem who proud of them skin because yuh have a lot of persons in this current generation that changing them skin colour. Mi proud of my colour,” said Fantan Mojah.
“All some man weh call themself shotta an dem a bleach out dem skin colour di most,” he added.
He maintained, however, that he does not have a colour prejudice. He simply believes that if Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and other musical greats could accept themselves for the way they were, then he should too.
His annual show, Reggae In The Valley, is scheduled to take place on March 28 at the Appleton Sports Complex in St Elizabeth.
I-Octane, Sizzla, Tarrus Riley, Capleton, Junior Reid, Jah Mason, Khago and Mavado are among the list of entertainers to take the stage.
“The show ago mad man. The fire turn up, Fantan a tek it to a higher heights for 2011. Wi have a lot of things fi talk all when dem a hide wi, wi ago still a talk. Wi have a whole heap of issues to touch,” he said.
Fantan Mojah is currently busy in the studios working on several new songs including Mama’s Call, a song which he said will strike a note with his fans and catapult him back into the minds of reggae listeners.
