Popular deejay Natural Black has been released from lock-up without being charged for any offence.

When a second habeas corpus application was mentioned in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday, the police told the court that the artiste whose right name is Mortimer Softley had been released from custody.

The deejay was in custody at the Half-Way Tree lock-up since October 3.

The singer was arrested at his Bedward Gardens home six days ago on suspicion of larceny of a motor vehicle. His arrest came after a vehicle being driven by Abebe Morgan, who has also been arrested, was seized by the police. The chassis number of the car, a Toyota Corolla, had reportedly been tampered with and Softley had allegedly purchased the car from someone.

Relevant documents

He was invited to the Papine Police Station on October 3 by the investigating officer and was sent for the relevant documents. While he was at his house searching for the documents, which had reportedly been misplaced, he was arrested by the police.

Softley's lawyer, Bert Samuels, made an habeas corpus application in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court on Tuesday, telling the court that his client had been languishing in jail for almost a week, and had not been charged. He argued that his client had cooperated fully with the police and asked Resident Magistrate Glen Brown to order that his client either be charged or released.

However, the order was not necessary today as the artiste was released without being charged.