Quada To Return To Supreme Court To Answer Murder Charges On Jan. 12

Dancehall artiste Quada is set to return to the Supreme Court on January 12 after a committal hearing regarding accusations of murder and arson was postponed unexpectedly yesterday.

The artiste, his co-accused and his legal team appeared in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court for the scheduled hearing. However, the hearing was postponed after the prosecution informed the deejay’s legal team that they are still awaiting a document in relation to the arson charge the deejay is facing.

“We were all set for a committal hearing but we were told by the prosecution that they need another statement in relation to the arson, which is not a new charge, but it is just a further delay that was not anticipated,” attorney-at-law Bianca Samuels, who is representing Quada, said.

“It is very difficult on the client. He is anxious to just prove his innocence. He is anxious to have the matter proceed. He is frustrated that the process is taking so long, especially when we were told the matter was making some headway today,” she continued.

In a committal hearing, a magistrate decides whether the prosecution has enough evidence for a case to be committed for trial, or sentence. If there is enough evidence and the case is serious enough, the case will be decided by a Judge and a jury in the District or Supreme Court.

No date has yet been set for another committal hearing.

Quada (given name Shacquelle Clarke), was arrested and charged for murder and arson on January 15 of this year, and was granted bail in the sum of $500,000 on January 17. The 23-year-old deejay is charged with the murder of Miguel Williams, 30, in Sterling Castle Heights, St Andrew, on April 17, 2019.

According to reports, an angry mob forced its way into Williams’ house, beat him, placed tyres around his body, and lit him inside the building. He was burnt beyond recognition.

Williams’ murder is believed to be in relation to the murder of eight-year-old Shantae Skyers, a student of Red Hills Primary School.

Skyers had gone missing in April 2019; days after, her body was found in Sterling Castle Heights. The deejay was the second person to be charged in connection with Williams’ killing.

In December 2019, 30-year-old Andrew Breakcliffe, otherwise called Grinch of a Sterling Castle Heights address, was also charged with murder and arson.

Quada hails from Bull Bay in Portland and is a member of the Unruly Camp, headed by dancehall artiste Popcaan.

He was one of several acts who performed at Unruly Fest, held at Good Year Oval in St Thomas in December 2019. His songs include ‘Celebration’, ‘Hail’, and ‘More Money More Life’.