Ninja Man, son granted bail

Barbara Gayle, Staff Reporter

After being in custody for exactly three years, 46-year-old deejay Ninja Man, whose real name is Desmond Ballentine, and his son Janiel have been granted bail.

Yesterday, their lawyers, Valerie Neita-Robertson and Linton Walters, complained that persons were actually serving sentences before bail applications were made or before trial dates were set.

Neita-Robertson said she was extremely concerned about the latitude which the Bench gave to the prosecution in regard to trial dates and adjournments. She pointed out that accused persons had to wait two to three months before a date was set for bail application and that was in breach of the Constitution and the Bail Act.

The two have been in custody since March 2009. They are charged jointly with Dennis Clayton and Seymour Samuels who were granted bail some time ago.

A trial date has been set for July 16 in the Home Circuit Court.

They are charged with the murder of Richard Johnson who was shot dead in his yard on March 16, 2009.

Supreme Court judge Christine McDonald granted Ballentine and his son bail in the sum of $2 million each with three sureties.