Obeah man sounds guard ring warning

The killing of an alleged don in the Kingston 2 area, has sparked some chatter about the reliability of guard rings.

The man was gunned down by armed motorcyclists on Tuesday, and some persons on social media have been opining that he was wearing guard rings. THE STAR has reviewed a photo, purportedly taken after the man met his demise, which appears to show multiple rings, believed to be loaded, on his fingers.

However, Superintendent Tommi-Lee Chambers, head of the East Kingston Police Division, said that the police report she received did not mention the man's accessories.

The lore surrounding guard rings suggests that they can help individuals evade law enforcement and shield themselves from enemies, both living and dead. It is said that these rings warm up as a warning signal when danger is imminent, prompting the wearer to take evasive action. The police have, in the past, said that criminals in western Jamaica have been turning to the world of the occult, obeah and black magic for protection.

Ruben Williams, a well-known obeah worker from St Thomas, believes he knows why guard rings don't work in such cases. "Too much guard ring can't work together because each guard ring weh you put a spirit inna one, or whatever force of order you put inna it, if a next one fi the same order, it's problem. Spirit very jealous, so each order of spirit weh you use have to be different," he explained.

"That spirit weh you use first, the one weh you seek him fi be your aid of protection, him want to be praised as the main one. As the general. So if you go get a next one now a use wid him, him ago bex with you and it ago cause comparison and contrariness," he continued.

He clarified that using guard rings for different purposes, such as one for protection and another for business success, can be effective. However, problems arise when multiple rings are used for the same purpose.

"The spirit dem nah go work wid you," he said. "In fact dem same one will put you inna problem to." He also suggested that "the obeah man just neva good".

Chambers said that the police will maintain a presence in the area.

"We are still carrying out investigations and we are keeping a presence in the space," she stated.