Mavado still in trouble

Kingston (Observer):DANCEHALL artiste Mavado is to face trial today and tomorrow in the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's court on charges of malicious destruction of property and assault.

Mavado, whose real name is David Brooks, was slapped with the charge July of last year.

Similar court dates were also given to the entertainer's promoter, Gregory Lindo, who is charged with perverting the course of justice and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

The allegations against the entertainer are that at about 7:00 pm on July 22, the complainant and his son were in a Toyota Camry along the Belmont main road in St James when they came upon a long line of traffic and pulled off the road.

It is alleged that a man came to the driver's door of the complainant's car, opened it then slammed it before reopening the door and proceeding to assault the man. The court heard that the man slapped the complainant in his face and kicked him in the groin.

Mavado is then said to have driven up in a black Range Rover and told the complainant to move out of the way, as he was not going to drive his vehicle over the stones, but the complainant refused.

The court heard that Mavado then used his vehicle to squeeze the man between his car door, causing swelling to his foot and a cut to his shoulder.

The court also heard that the damage to the car was about $25,000.

Up to the last appearance in court in September, the other men, who were reported with the artiste at the time of the incident and who are alleged to have assaulted a teenaged boy with a machete, were yet to be apprehended and charged.