Rastafarians in MoBay dissatisfied with Nzinga King ruling, mount protest

Rastafarians in Montego Bay, St James today protested in Sam Sharpe Square calling for justice in the case of Nzinga King.

They expressed concern about the outcome of a probe by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, which recently ruled that no one should be charged in the matter.

King, 19, who is Rastafarian, alleged that her locks were cut by a policewoman while she was at the Four Paths Police Station in Clarendon in July 2021.

The DPP's office had indicated, among other things, that there were serious credibility issues in reviewing the complaint brought by King.

READ: Full Text | DPP cites serious credibility issues in Nzinga King case

According to the DPP, King contradicted her own accounts and witnesses too.

As a result, DPP Paula Llewellyn ruled that there should be no criminal charges against the cop.

The Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) had also made a similar finding.

However, the DPP did recommend that King could seek redress in the Supreme Court.

But the Rastafarians remain dissatisfied and want the authorities to take a deep look into the case.

“The DPP needs to investigate the situation a little better. And we are saying the government should strengthen the public defender so that the public defender's office can carry out prosecution because in situation like this, we are not clear as to how INDECOM would investigate,” said Lewis Brown, treasurer of the Rastafari Carol Gardens Benevolence Society.

According to Brown, the Rastafarian community is not in favour of the ruling made by the DPP and wants a more thorough investigation.

- Albert Ferguson 

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