Entertainment

Sizzla caught by the Long hands of time

By GERMAINE SMITH, Staff Reporter

REGGAE STAR SIZZLA Kalonji had a twist of fate when he appeared in the Yallahs Resident Magistrates' Court in St Thomas yesterday.

Despite passionate opposition from the dozens of supporters who lined the courthouse's perimeter, police arrested the singer immediately after he stepped from the courtroom and whisked him away to the Traffic Court in Kingston where he faced charges for an offence committed in 1997.

Sizzla, whose birth name is Miguel Collins, appeared before Resident Magistrate Bertram Linton in Yallahs, based on his arrest on the Eastfest concert held on Christmas Day in St Thomas. There, Sizzla was arrested after leaving the stage where he had joined deejay Beenie Man earlier.

Not billed

In the Yallahs RM court, the police told the Magistrate that Sizzla was not billed for the show, and went on stage blasting expletives.

Sizzla's attorney Charmaine Rhoden spoke on his behalf. She told the Magistrate that the singer was caught up in the euphoria of the moment, as his fans were there in massive numbers showing him support.

She requested leniency in sentencing from the Magistrate because, according to her, Sizzla knew he was wrong, and he was apologising to the country and his fans, because he did not want anyone to follow his example.

RM Linton accepted the guilty plea but postponed sentencing until February 2.

Traffic court

The issue was then disposed, but as soon as Sizzla stepped outside, police officers escorted him into a patrol car, and with sirens blasting, a group of police vehicles sped off to the traffic court on South Camp Road in Kingston.

There, Sizzla appeared for a traffic ticket which was issued in 1997. One of the officers investigating the matter told THE STAR that Sizzla had been charged after overtaking on an unbroken white line in 1997, and he never paid the fine.

He was then fined $5000 and had two points deducted from his drivers' licence.