Croaking lizards help man beat robbery charge

Although obeah may be frowned upon for some, it is considered the antidote for winning court cases.

According to Rob Brown*, after being on remand for close to four years for robbery with aggravation, his obeah man was instrumental in the dismissal of his case.

"Me get in a likkle bird (cellular phone) and from deh so me start link with the man. Him tell me say him a go send me two likkle company for me and me wonder wa him a talk bout. Inna the night, me hear the rest a man dem inna di cell a make noise and say dem no feel good, and when me look pon di wall a two croaking lizard dat me see a talk to each other," he said.

The following day, Brown said he received a call from the obeah man who told him that he needed to communicate with his 'little friends' by reading a specific Psalm.

"Me read the Psalm and the lizard dem get still and the man on the phone tell me what to chant after. When me done chant, him say me fi trample dem under me foot until dem dead and the spell a go break," he said.

SHEWANTMEBACK

Brown said that he went to court two months later and he was freed of all charges.

"So who can tell me say obeah no real man? Me see miself a get dash way, a just about two family member did still a look fi me. All me woman did lef me and go get a next youth but just look at me now. Man a live lavish and all she want me back," he said.

A prison warder, who believes the obeah theories, said that the presence of witchcraft is so strong at times, it causes some of the prisoners to fall ill.

"More time me fraid fi pass certain cell because me head swell. When you look inna some a the man dem eye, dem look wild. Is like a Satan you a stare pon cuz demon inna dem. Nuff time you see the jailer dem drop dung and dem have to go hospital. A nuh hot dem hot enuh, a just the presence of a strong duppy lick dem dung," he said.

According to the warder, he has seen more than a dozen spirits walking the prison.

"A 14 year me a do da job ya and me see some tings whe me fraid to even mention. One night me all see a small white horse a walk the corridors, and all when me a show me next warder him a look pon me like me mad," he said.

*name changed