Jah Cure has been sentenced to six years in a Netherlands prison for attempted manslaughter after reportedly stabbing an event promoter.
The Netherlands Public Prosecution Service confirmed that the Reggae singer, whose real name is Siccature Alcock, has been sentenced to six years in prison, with credit for time served in the custody of Dutch law enforcement, for attempted manslaughter, in relation to an alleged stabbing incident last year.
Jah Cure was found not guilty of attempted murder, according to Dutch persecutor. However, the โPrison Wallsโ singerโs claim of self-defense was rejected by the court.
Jah Cure was arrested in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, on October 1st of last year after stabbing show promoter Nicardo โPapaโ Blake in the stomach, and has been held in a Dutch prison since.
Blake, whose Roots Vibes Promotion stages reggae shows in the Netherlands, was reportedly hospitalized after allegedly sustaining injuries to the abdomen.
The incident took place at Dam Square, in the city center of Amsterdam, where Jah Cure had been booked for an appearance.ย
Two days prior, Jah Cure had performed at Blakeโs concert in the Melkweg. However, the โWhat Will It Takeโ singer had not been paid his performance fee of 5,000 euros.
Jah Cure appeared before a panel of three judges on March 8 to answer charges of attempted manslaughter, aggravated assault or attempted aggravated assault.
After hearing witness accounts, viewing CCTV footage, and reviewing voice messages purportedly made by the โTrue Reflectionsโ singer to the victim, the Dutch court reached its decision.
The Jamaican entertainer was sentenced on March 22, shortly after he was found guilty of attempted manslaughter.
The sentence is less than what the prosecution had originally requested.
โThe prosecutor has asked the court to convict the 43-year-old reggae singer for attempted murder, and that the suspect should be put away for eight years with credit for time served,โ according to a statement released by the Dutch government on March 8.
The Netherlands court dismissed Jah Cureโs claim that his acts were in โself-defense,โ and that he had taken up a knife before meeting with the victim, not to stab the victim, but to protect himself since he was wearing an expensive watch. However, it ruled that he was not guilty of premeditated attempted murder as he claimed.
The court today [March 22] described the incident as an โapparently fairly trivial conflictโ that Jah Cure โblew up and escalated,โ according to online newspaper Nu.nl.
โThere is still too little evidence for a preconceived plan to take the victimโs life,โ one judge said, according to De Telegraaf newspaper.
The publication also noted that โthe judge ruled that such a stabbing incident in broad daylight in a busy place such as Dam Square does give the victim and society a great sense of insecurity.โ
If Jah Cure disagrees with the courtโs ruling, he has the right to appeal to the Court of Appeal within two weeks.
โBoth the 43-year old man and the prosecutor can appeal to the Court of Appeal within two weeks if they disagree with the courtโs ruling,โ the Dutch press officer told media reporters.
Jah Cureโs time in prison will not be his first.
He was sentenced to 13 years in prison in 1999 for raping and robbing a woman at gunpoint. He was released after serving 8 years.
During the last leg of his sentence, the singerโs popularity soared following the release of hit songs like โLonging For,โ and โLove Is,โ which he admitted were illegally recorded, and โTrue Reflection (Prison Walls), which was sanctioned under the prisonโs Rehabilitation Through Music program.
Jah Cure is also known for the hit songs such as โNever Find,โ โUnconditional Love,โ โCall On Meโ and a cover version of John Legendโs smash hit โAll Of Me.โ
He was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album in 2015 for his album The Cure, which featured the songs โThat Girl,โ โRasta,โ and โLife We Live.โ
In September 2021, just before his arrest, he announced that he was finishing up a new album titled โUndeniable.โ