Jah Cure claims self-defence

A newspaper in The Netherlands is reporting that reggae artiste Jah Cure says that he acted in self-defence when he stabbed an event promoter at the Dam Square in Amsterdam on October 1, 2021.

The Jamaican artiste allegedly stabbed the promoter because he allegedly threatened him. Jah Cure appeared before a court in Amsterdam on Wednesday.

"I was just trying to defend myself, otherwise a knife would have landed in my own stomach," Het Parool, a daily newspaper in Amsterdam, quoted Jah Cure as saying.

Updates from the Netherlands Public Prosecution Service (NPPS) suggest that Jah Cure, whose given name is Siccaturie Alcock, will have to spend another 55 days in remand as he awaits the substantive hearing, which is scheduled to take place on March 8. Jah Cure is accused of attempted murder after he allegedly stabbed Nicardo 'Papa' Blake, a concert promoter, from whom the artiste said he was awaiting payment for a performance he had done. Tim Scheffer, the artiste's lawyer, said the stabbing incident was not captured on cameras.

"I think it is the first and last violent incident that took place on Dam Square and was not recorded by cameras. We have to make do with witness statements," Scheffer told the court. Self-proclaimed ambassador for Jamaica's musical culture in the Netherlands Danny 'Creatah' Sengers said that he found it strange that there was no camera footage.

"The stabbing that Jah Cure is said to be involved in happened on the biggest square in Amsterdam, where there are maybe 50 cameras alone recording but yet, it is being reported that there is no recording available... that is really weird," he said. He also questioned the alleged use of the knife as offensive weapon laws are strict in The Netherlands, especially for tourists.

Het Parool also reported that the lawyer told the court that on the day of the incident, Jah Cure was standing with his back against the monument, when he saw the concert promoter reach for his jacket with his right hand.

"My client has indicated several times that the man should keep his distance," Scheffer told the court. "He was scared and stuck out in self-defence. There was immediate danger. He couldn't move. Running away was also not an option, because then he would have had a knife in his back."

The prosecutor is reportedly awaiting the results of the digital investigation into Jah Cure's phone as well as "an official reaction from the Jamaican authorities about his criminal records in Jamaica".