BANTON... they left here with two plants

ENTERTAINER Buju Banton, who was last week arrested and charged for possession and cultivation of marijuana, will today appear in the Half-Way-Tree Resident Magistrate's Court to answer the charges.

The entertainer was arrested after policemen from the St Andrew North Division entered his Gargamel studios and removed two marijuana plants. The entertainer's licensed firearm was also seized by the police.

Banton, a Rastafarian entertainer who advocates the use of ganja for spiritual purposes, said yesterday that the police violated his rights by entering his property without a search warrant. He alleged, too, that the cops fed the media false information.

"They told the media that they took 30 plants, but they left here with two plants," said Banton, whose real name is Mark Myrie.

"They even went into the studio, took out the engineer and hit him in his face with the herb," he alleged.

An officer who took part in the raid, but who requested that his name not be used, said Banton was not their initial target when they entered the Gargamel studios compound.

"A man ran inside the premises and shout out, "Police!" This aroused our suspicion and we pursued the man inside the premises," the cop told the Observer.

The policeman said that when the police -- led by head of the St Andrew North Division, Superintendent Assan Thompson -- entered the premises they saw a number of persons, including Buju Banton and other popular artistes. He said that when officers requested a search of all the persons present the entertainer refused.

"Buju behaved disrespectfully... him say we can't just come inna him private property and come search up him brethren dem," the cop said. "Him can't chat to police so, especially in front of the big superintendent," he added.

The police, he said, then proceeded to search everyone before relieving the artiste of his firearm and spare ammunition.

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