ST CATHERINE, Jamaica — Residents of Waterford in Portmore, St Catherine are rejoicing after the Court of Appeal ruled Wednesday against a retrial of hometown entertainer Vybz Kartel and his co-accused for the murder of Clive “Lizard” Williams.

The ruling means Kartel will be set free after some 13 years behind bars.

READ: Kartel freed!

When Observer Online visited Waterford, popularly known as ‘Gaza’, before the verdict, the streets appeared to be scanty. But it did not take long for crowds to gather to celebrate the ruling.

“Freedom! Freedom! One Kartel! One Gaza!” one man shouted ecstatically, adding “When you talk about Kartel, you talk about Gaza!”

Another resident said it was fitting that Kartel was set free a day before Emancipation Day celebrations.

“Kartel day, the real Emancipation Day!” he declared.

Police and soldiers were roaming the community to maintain order and safety.

Kartel, real name Adidja Palmer; Shawn ‘Shawn Storm’ Campbell; Kahira Jones; and Andre St John were convicted of the September 2011 murder of Williams.

Lawyers representing the quartet made an appeal to the local Court of Appeal in 2020, but their convictions were upheld.

The accused’s appeal was then taken to the United Kingdom-based Privy Council, and on March 14, 2024, their murder convictions were overturned on the grounds of juror misconduct.

The Privy Council also remitted the case back to the Jamaica Court of Appeal to decide whether there should be a retrial.