The long-delayed appeal in the high-profile murder case involving dancehall icon Desmond “Ninja Man” Ballentyne has suffered yet another setback, after the Court of Appeal was forced to halt proceedings due to unresolved legal representation for one of his co-convicts. The hearing, originally scheduled to begin today and run for an entire week, is now provisionally moved to the week of 23 March 2026, prolonging a process fans and legal observers have been watching closely.
The latest disruption stems from persistent issues surrounding the defence of co-accused Dennis Clayton, whose legal team has changed multiple times. His former attorney fell ill earlier this year, and his newly appointed lawyer joined the matter only days before the hearing, leaving insufficient time to examine what the court described as a “substantial and complex” case file. The appeal will focus largely on issues of visual identification, a pivotal point raised by all appellants challenging the 2017 conviction.
Complicating matters further, the case has seen significant shifts in legal counsel for the other defendants. Ninja Man’s longtime attorney, Valerie Neita Robertson, passed away in February, prompting attorney Robert Fletcher to assume his defence. Meanwhile, King’s Counsel Peter Champagnie, representing Ninja Man’s son Janeil, confirmed he was ready to proceed but acknowledged that multi-accused appeals must be heard together. “Cases like this cannot be taken in fragments,” he said in a statement to the media, noting that while the delay is frustrating, it is ultimately unavoidable.
Ninja Man, Janeil Ballentyne and Dennis Clayton were convicted in 2017 for the 2009 murder of Ricardo Johnson, following a domestic dispute in the Lower Mall Road area of St Andrew. Prosecutors led evidence that after the altercation, the men allegedly returned armed, chasing Johnson and another witness before shots were fired, fatally wounding the victim. With the appeal now pushed into 2026, the prolonged saga continues to unfold, leaving supporters and critics alike bracing for what could be a decisive legal showdown next year.
