In an exclusive phone interview from prison, Jamaican dancehall sensation Vybz Kartel said he’s optimistic an appeal recently filed by his lawyer to challenge his murder conviction will be successful and he’ll be a free man soon.
Real name Adidja Azim Palmer, the 45-year-old musician was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2014 after he was found guilty for his involvement in the murder of his former associate Clive “Lizard” Williams. The “Worl’ Boss”, as he’s popularly known, has been locked up since his 2011 arrest in connection with the highly publicized murder.
But in an interview with FOX 5 New York that was released on Wednesday, August 18, Vybz Kartel claimed his incarceration was rather an effort to get rid of him because of his influence – not for murder. “It was never about me charged for murder, it was about getting rid of Vybz Kartel, not Adidja Palmer, the person,” the dancehall star said.
“They told us, they say we have too much influence. If you remember when Mavado and I had that little feud a few years ago, we went to King’s House, which is like the home of the prime minister, and they told us we are leading the kids astray and if we don’t stop what we are doing, we are not going to get permission to do shows. It has always been about the influence we have,” he added.
Vybz Kartel’s interview came in the wake of a fresh appeal his attorney Isat Buchanan filed at the Privy Council in the United Kingdom based on new evidence, Loop Jamaica reported. And per the appeal, the incarcerated musician and his attorney are claiming a British digital expert has been able to establish the convicted murderer’s phone was tampered with after it was confiscated by authorities following his arrest. The 45-year-old told Fox 5 New York he’s hopeful the appeal will be successful. The Privy Council is an advisory body to the British Monarch.
“Yes, God save the Queen because she’s the only one that can save me now,” the musician said in his interview.
Elsewhere in the interview, Vybz Kartel, who recently released his 16th studio album, Born Fi Dis, spoke about how his life has been like during his decade-long incarceration. Despite being locked up, the dancehall star said he’s in a better place mentally than physically.
“I was sick for a few years, so definitely I’m recovering physically, but mentally I’ve always been in a good place because I know I’m innocent and I know I’m coming out,” he said.
