Dancehall star Vybz Kartel and his co-accused Shawn ‘Shawn Storm’ Campbell and Andre St John were denied release on Thursday (May 30) after a judge rejected the habeas corpus application filed on their behalf.

Judge Andrea Thomas has ruled that their continued detention was not in breach of the Constitution. Thomas said that in the absence of a verdict or acquittal by the Privy Council, the charge of murder remains in effect.

The court session, which was reportedly delayed due to a large turnout, was moved to a larger courtroom before the ruling was delivered.

The Observer reported that a contingent of members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force and Jamaica Defence Force were stationed outside the Supreme Court in downtown Kingston on Thursday afternoon.