SELF-PROCLAIMED “Dancehall King”, Beenie Man, has found himself in a ‘not-so-royal’ spot of bother for breaching the Disaster Risk Management Act as well as the Noise Abatement Act.

“The Doctor” is scheduled to appear in the St Elizabeth Parish Court on February 10.

The two charges are the result of an alleged entertainment event which the Grammy-winning deejay was purportedly to have attended on November 29 in the ‘bread basket” parish.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Narda Simms, head of St Elizabeth Police Fivision, said the parish is becoming a haven for illegal parties and that would not be allowed.

“It has come to the attention of the police that there are a number of illegal parties that are being held in the parish of St Elizabeth. Let me say to both partygoers and promoters that the St Elizabeth Police Division is not going to tolerate any such [events]. No parties are being permitted and no approvals are being given for parties. Therefore, these parties are being held illegally,” she told the Jamaica Observer.

The Bad Man Nuh Flee artiste turned up at the Black River Police Station on New Year’s Eve where he was slapped with the charges.

Beenie Man will not be the first entertainment personality to be hauled in front of the court for breaching the Disaster Risk Management Act, which is one of the Government’s tools in the fight against the spread of COVID-19.

In March 2020, actor Garfield “Bad Boy Trevor” Reid was arrested and charged with breaching the Disaster Risk Management Act, Noise Abatement Act, the Emergency Powers Act, and Spirit Licence Act.

On his release from lock-up, the actor issued an apology for hosting a pool party at Plantation Drive in Kingston. It breached the Government’s restrictions prohibiting any gathering exceeding the then 20 people.

“I hosted the party out of ignorance because, at the time, I wasn’t thinking that house parties were a part of the ban. So, I threw a little VIP house party and it just started getting out of hand …probably because people were bored and needed entertainment, they ‘log on to the party’,” he told the Observer at the time.

He was granted bail to the tune of $100,000. His case is still before the court.

In August 2020, social media influencer-turned-deejay Amari, who was on a 14-day quarantine order on a visit to the island, breached the Disaster Risk Management Act after she was seen at several places. She appeared at the St James Parish Court and was fined $20,000. She was slapped with an additional fine of $200 for using indecent language during her interaction with the police.

So far, 304 people have died from COVID-19, while 13,049 have tested positive.

Beenie Man (given name Moses Davis) won the Best Reggae Grammy in 2001 for the album Art and Life. He is known for songs, including Girls Dem Sugar, Who Am I, Romie, Slam, and I’m Okay.