Kartel’s Havendale property ‘a big dump’

The Havendale property which was once the official base for entertainer Adidja 'Vybz Kartel' Palmer during his heyday as producer, artiste manager, and deejay, is now a filthy, smelly, overgrown dump.

A partially open metal gate revealed dirty pillows on the ground, and a pile of faeces stained the entrance.

A 10-foot high wall, one side scrawled with graffiti, helps to contain the abject misery inside the property, which residents say is a haven for "bare cokehead, prostitute, and madman".

The property is situated on Swallowfield Avenue in the uptown community. One resident, who requested anonymity, said the place is now a "big dump".

"Something was done to clean it up, but people use the place as a big dump. The uptown cokeheads use it as a base, others sleep over there, and, you know, there is the night-time sexual activity as well," she disclosed.

According to the resident, the dream of the community is for the property to be sold and restored to its former, pre-Kartel ownership glory.

"When I saw you guys, I thought you were surveyors or developers. We would really love for the place to be sold, but with that history, who going to buy it?" she asked, looking puzzled.

The property played a starring role in Vybz Kartel's murder trial. The Crown alleged that Clive 'Lizard' Williams was murdered at that house at 7 Swallowfield Avenue, Havendale, on August 16, 2011.

A government forensic analyst testified at the murder trial that blood samples found at the St Andrew house where Williams was allegedly killed were from a male.

Bloodstains

At the trial, an investigator testified that he had found what appeared to be bloodstains at the house were Williams was allegedly beaten before being killed.

Williams was allegedly killed over two missing guns.

A forensic analyst had testified at the murder trial in the Home Circuit Court that on August 29, 2011, she went to the house and conducted tests in relation to a fire at the premises.

She said she believed that the fire was deliberately set because of the multiple scenes of fire on the premises and flammable equipment found at the scene.

In 2015, the building, which housed Kartel's studio and dwelling, was demolished. During the murder trial, a request was made to the then Kingston and St Andrew Corporation (now the Municipal Corporation) for the premises to be destroyed. It was approved, and the demolition exercise was carried out.

The residents at the time expressed delight at the demolition.

"I am happy that the house is destroyed. It was unsightly. We did not have a problem with him living there, but since he left, it has been rundown. The garbage piled up, and graffiti was getting out of control," one resident had said.

However, despite being bulldozed, four years later, the property remains an eyesore.