JAH CURE..spent three hours in custody

Jamaica reggae artist, Jah Cure, spent three hours in police custody on Saturday night, after an arrest warrant was issued by High Court judge, Justice Sebastien Ventour, for owing a Tobago show promoter US$19,993. It was only after the equivalent in TT dollars ($126,000) was presented, that Jah Cure was released from the Central Police Station on St Vincent Street, Port-of-Spain. He was then able to perform in a concert at Guaracara Park, Pointe-a-Pierre, later in the night. Jah Cure, also known as Siccature Alcock, was arrested on the instructions of a High Court marshal, around 7.30 pm at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Port-of-Spain. The drama unfolded when the claimant, Handel Anthony, a show promoter from Tobago, went before Justice Ventour in the Hall of Justice for a special sitting of the High Court.

Anthony was represented by attorney Michael Rooplal. According to the affidavit, Anthony said he entered into an agreement with Jah Cure to perform at two concerts in T&T on April 11 and 12, this year. Anthony said he agreed to pay Jah Cure US$85,000 for these two performances. Anthony said he travelled to Jamaica, in January, to finalise arrangements for Jah Cure to perform. In pursuance of the agreement, Anthony said he paid the artist US$40,000 as a deposit. The promoter said that on March 9, Jah Cure requested the sum of US$17,000, a sum which he promised to repay on his visit to Trinidad. He also requested another US$2,993 on another occasion. Before he was due to arrive in T&T, Jah Cure requested US$45,000, the balance due to him for the two concerts.

Anthony said the Jamaican artiste agreed orally to give him exclusive rights to promote and produce his next performance in T&T, which was scheduled in October. He contacted Jah Cure in August, and requested that he perform in October at the Sting Nightclub in San Fernando. He said Jah Cure declined, claiming that he did not perform in the same country more than once in any calendar year. The Tobago promoter said he found out that Jah Cure was billed as the star performer at Guaracara Park, Pointe-a-Pierre, on Saturday night. He said this was in clear breach of the artiste’s agreement to give exclusive rights for his next performance in T&T.

Anthony said Jah Cure was expected to leave Trinidad yesterday with his US$19,993. He said he faced the real risk of not being able to recover his money if Jah Cure had returned to his home in Manchester, Jamaica. After hearing the ex parte application, Justice Ventour granted the application for a warrant for Jah Cure’s arrest. The court hearing ended at 6.30 pm on Saturday, and within the hour, Jah Cure was arrested at the Hyatt. Someone close to the Jamaican artist went to the police station, and in the presence of various people, the money, TT$126,000 in cash, was counted and handed over to Anthony. After the debt was satisfied, Jah Cure was able to leave the station at 10.30 pm.