Tension filled the Home Circuit Court in downtown Kingston on Monday as the long-awaited murder trial involving dancehall entertainer Munga Honorable took a dramatic turn. A key prosecution witness testified that she allegedly saw the artiste and his co-accused, Sheridan Gordon, fatally shooting Cleveland Smith during a 2017 incident in Ackee Walk, St Andrew. The courtroom atmosphere intensified even further when both men were later led away in handcuffs after the court temporarily revoked their bail.
Munga Honorable, whose given name is Damian Rhoden, and Gordon are facing charges in connection with the killing of Smith, who was reportedly a relative of dancehall entertainer Mr Vegas. The matter has experienced several delays over the years, largely due to complications involving witnesses. However, the trial officially gained momentum on Monday as the prosecution called its first witness to testify.
During her testimony, the witness alleged that she observed both accused men opening fire on Smith while he was near a bicycle. She told the court that Smith fell to the ground after being shot multiple times and appeared lifeless at the scene.
The case took another unexpected turn shortly before the midday adjournment when the judge ordered that the bail previously granted to both accused men be revoked temporarily. Officers from the Jamaica Constabulary Force then escorted Munga and Gordon out of the courtroom while they were handcuffed together. Observers inside the court reportedly watched as the entertainer moved cautiously while being led away by police personnel. Following the lunch break, both men returned to court still wearing handcuffs.
Defence lawyer Christopher Townsend later made an application requesting that bail be restored. He argued that the accused men had complied with their bail conditions for several years since the incident occurred. After hearing submissions, the judge agreed to reinstate bail until Thursday while the trial continues.
Police reports surrounding the case allege that Smith was attending an entertainment event in Ackee Walk when he was approached by several men, including one reportedly armed with a gun. During the confrontation, Smith was shot and later transported to Kingston Public Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
As proceedings continue, the trial is expected to remain under intense public scrutiny, particularly within Jamaica’s dancehall fraternity and among supporters closely following the high-profile case.
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