Industry Shock; Dance-hall Veteran Ninja Man Sentenced to Life Imprisonment

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Veteran Dancehall deejay Ninjaman was a short while ago given a sentence within the Home Circuit Court for the March 2009 murder of Ricardo Johnson.


He is to serve twenty-five years before being eligible for parole. He was given twenty years for shooting with intent and life imprisonment for murder.

Ninja Man gave the thumbs up once the sentence was handed down.

His co-accused — son Jahneil, and Dennis Clayton — were conjointly handed life sentences, with 15 years before being eligible for parole.

The 3 were to be sentenced on Friday, but their sentencing was delayed as a result of the lawyer representing Clayton was late for court, leading to Justice Martin Gayle suspending the matter until today.

The 3 were found guilty on November 20th.

According to police reports, Ninjaman, Jahneil, and Clayton were among many men who entered a yard on Mall Road in Olympic Gardens on March 16, 2009. They discharged shots at a man who fled the premises, however, 20-year-old Johnson was fatally shot.

Ninjaman's son Janeil Ballentine and Dennis Clayton being taken from court to a nearby truck after being found guilty of murder.

The men were later arrested and charged for his murder. Ninjaman spent 3 years at the Horizon correctional center in Kingston and was granted bail in 2012 in the sum of $2 million. On October 17, he was taken into custody when tribunal judge, Justice Martin Gayle revoked his bail and ordered that the trial starts at once.

A native of St Mary, Ninjaman rose to prominence in the 1980s. His initial hit song was, Cover Me, featuring Tinga Stewart.

With a career spanning over 30 years, Ninjaman faced many run-ins with the law. In recent years, however, he opted to project a positive image through social media and a lot of community involvement.

He conjointly practiced a career revitalization after signing with the Josef Bogdanovich-owned Downsound Records label for 2 years.Ninjaman's lawyer, Queen's Counsel Valerie Neita-Robertson told the Jamaican Observer that she will be appealing the conviction.

Dancehall Industry Shocked

Dancehall artiste Kiprich admitted that he was "in shock" at the outcome.

Dancehall artiste Kiprich

"Da one ya mash mi up, mi never expect this, he tried his best to turn his life around, I was just hoping that the system saw the new Ninja, but I don't know what went down. Right now, mi inna shock, mi never expect a guilty verdict, because him say him innocent right through the trial," Kiprich told Loop Jamaica reporter Claude Mills

Dancehall artiste Macka Diamond

Female deejay Macka Diamond, reminiscing on Ninja man's ability to make persons smile had this to say " Whole heap a people ago miss him because dem know if he was around, they would have a good Christmas. It wasn't only because of weh him coulda do fi people but just him friendship and fi have him pass through pan di ends and laugh and chat" she said. 

Ninjaman and another prisoner being ushered inside a truck on Monday, after the entertainer was found guilty of murder. (PHOTOS: Marlon Reid)