Veteran dancehall deejay, Ninjaman, born Desmond Ballentine, and two co-accused, including the entertainer’s son, Janeil, were on Monday found guilty of the 2009 murder of Ricardo Johnson, also known as ‘Trooper’, in Olympic Garden, St Andrew.
The verdict came in from a seven-member jury which was comprised of four men and three women, in the Home Circuit Court in downtown Kingston, following deliberations for over three hours.
The Ballentines and Dennis Clayton were tried for the murder of Johnson in the Marl Road area of Olympic Gardens.
The trial lasted for over a month, during which the artiste fell ill, reportedly due to an emerging heart-related condition.
In response to the verdict, Ninjaman simply said, “A suh it go man,” on exiting the courtroom.
The trial involved some seven witnesses, including one who testified that a group of men, led by Ninjaman with a gun, entered a yard on the day in question, and the deejay fired two shots at him while he fled the premises.
However, Johnson, who was at the premises, was hit and later died from his injuries.
The case had all of 17 missed trial dates and 23 mention dates over an eight-year span, and the trial finally got under way last month when Justice Martin Gayle revoked Ninjaman’s bail and ordered an immediate start to the proceedings.
More details to come late.
