Dancehall entertainer Munga Honorable and co-accused Sheridan Gordon walked free on Friday after prosecutors abruptly dropped their murder case against the men following dramatic inconsistencies in the testimony of the trial’s sole eyewitness. The stunning courtroom twist came just days after both men were escorted from the Home Circuit Court in Kingston in handcuffs during proceedings tied to the 2017 killing of Cleveland Smith in Ackee Walk, St Andrew.
Munga Honorable, whose real name is Damian Rhoden, had been standing trial alongside Gordon in a case that had faced years of delays due to complications involving witnesses who reportedly migrated overseas. However, after the prosecution’s key witness completed her testimony on Thursday, the case reportedly unravelled. Prosecutors subsequently informed the court that they would offer no further evidence against the accused men, leading to their release on Friday.
The high-profile trial had drawn widespread public attention throughout the week after a witness alleged in court that she saw Munga and Gordon shooting Smith during the 2017 incident. The proceedings intensified further earlier in the week when both men temporarily had their bail revoked and were led from court handcuffed together before bail was later restored.
Attorney-at-law Christopher Townsend and Chadwyk Berry represented Munga during the proceedings, while Gordon was represented by King’s Counsel Peter Champagne and attorney Sayeed Bernard. News of the entertainers’ release quickly spread across social media on Friday, triggering strong reactions from fans, critics and members of the dancehall fraternity.
Meanwhile, the dramatic conclusion to the case has already become one of the most talked-about stories in Jamaican entertainment and legal circles this year. With the murder charge now behind him, attention is expected to shift toward Munga Honorable’s next move both inside and outside the music industry.
View this post on Instagram
