Busy Signal has issued a statement and commenced battling against charges made by US authorities.
For almost a decade, Busy Signal lived life on the wild side. Later turning his back on crime, the Jamaican born artists inherent drive and charisma would lead him to become one of Dancehall’s shining lights.
Earlier this month, though, Busy Signal’s past caught up with him. Leaving Jamaica to perform in Europe, the artist was served extradition papers by theJamaican fugitive apprehension team.
In a statement (via Jamaica Gleaner), Busy Signal has vowed to fight those charges and thanked fans for their support. “I waived my rights to an extradition trial here in Jamaica, so that I can return to the US (United States) to face a charge of absconding bail only,” said Busy Signal. “This incident took place 10 years ago before I even considered becoming an artiste”.
Thanking fans, Busy Signal indicated that ‘new’ releases would continue. “There are several unreleased tracks that will definitely keep you ‘busy’ until my return” he said.
Signing off, the Dancehall icon thanked his band Hi-Voltage and claimed “we not going down, cause God alone controls my destiny.”
Meanwhile, Busy Signal’s lawyer KD Knight – a former Jamaican Foreign Miniser – has argued that he can only be tried to absconding bail. (via Go Jamaica)
“He has consented to face absconding and absconding only… not any drug-related charge,” Knight insisted. “In this scenario he has received exactly that which he would have wanted had their been a fight… that he be not surrendered in relation to the drug charge.”
Continuing, Knight argued that any attempt to resurrect old drugs charges would represent a breach of the Extradition Treaty between the two countries that would trigger a “diplomatic furore.”
The case continues.