Spotlight on Beenie Man
CONFLICTING stories are emanating from Ghana on Beenie Man, who the media yesterday reported was detained following COVID-19 breaches in that country.
Up to press time, several efforts to speak with Beenie Man or his reps, Ghana Police, and party promoter/artiste Stonebwoy were unsuccessful.
“From what I’m hearing from the camp of Stonebwoy was that Beenie Man flew out of the country yesterday (Monday),” said a Ghanian source, who wished not to be named.
“I understand he was detained at the airport for about three hours prior to his departure,” the source continued.
Another source close to Beenie Man’s camp, said the Jamaican deejay was en route to another gig in another country. The deejay’s inner circle is also denying that he had COVID-19.
According to Ghana’s Citi News, Beenie Man tested positive for the virus upon arrival at the Kotoka International Airport on December 19 and was sent into mandatory quarantine at the AH Hotel in East Legon by health officials.
However, the artiste is reported to have left the hotel and appeared on a number of media platforms before performing at the Bhim Concert on December 21 which was organised by Ghanaian dancehall artiste Stonebwoy.
Beenie Man also performed at the show alongside other high-profile artistes from Ghana including Samini, Kwaw Kese, MzVee, and Empress Gifty.
According to the Ghana Immigration Service, he has currently been released to the Ghana Health Service officials and his lawyers. He is alleged to have produced a fake clearance certificate from the Ghana Health Service, which has become a subject of investigations by Ghanaian security officials.
In May, the deejay was fined $150,000 or three months in jail for breaches of the Disaster Risk Management Act (DRMA) when he appeared in the St Elizabeth Parish Court.
The entertainer had pleaded guilty to the offence on April 19. He was charged at an alleged event held on November 29 last year in St Elizabeth.
Beenie Man (given name: Moses Davis) won the Best Reggae Album 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.