Fantan Mojah charged with breaking COVID curfew

Rastafarian reggae and dancehall artiste Fantan Mojah has been charged with breaching the Disaster Risk Management (Amendment) Act 2021, and he says he would be pleading guilty with explanation.

He confirmed reports that he was hauled over by the cops last Saturday but said he was issued with the relevant documents to attend court. "I wasn't given a ticket; it was a paper to attend court on April 17," he told THE STAR.

Fantan Mojah explained "I was on my way from my studio at about 4:30 p.m., and dem pull me over off Red Hills Road. but as a youth who represent the country, all the police dem did haffi do is seh 'Fantan hurry up and come offa di road'. Cause a studio we deh and a work, and as soon as we realise seh di time run off we hurry up and leave," the singjay said.

Last weekend, according to the country's lockdown schedule, Saturday's curfew started at noon, with laws in place to fine offenders who are caught in breach. The House of Representatives on March 23 passed legislation that introduced a system of sanctions against persons who breach the public health protocols. This includes fixed penalties ranging from $3,000 to $500,000. If persons fail to stay in an abode or place of residence during a curfew, they could face a fine of $10,000.

Fantan Mojah is only too aware that he is staring at a hefty fine, and he sees this as an ingenious way for the Government to fill its coffers.

"It look like all dem want is the money. It's all about the $10,000. But I am going to put my case to the judge. We know that some people have special pass, but we have the pass of the Almighty," he said.

Earlier this year, the firebrand Rastafarian artiste stirred more than a bit of controversy when he dropped the provocative video for his risque single Fire King, and had the streets muttering that he was no longer 'holding the order'. Although he had assured fans that this was not so, Fantan Mojah says he is now working on a straight dancehall EP.

" Fire King drop and stir up the world. I never find that producer with the right fire until now. So me and Gold T Records doing some work and we are about to drop the follow-up to Fire King. It's called Touch That Body," he said.