Nooks elated at court’s ruling

WITH his two-year court case behind him, George Nooks says he will be able to pay greater attention to music. The singer was found not guilty on drug-related charges yesterday when he appeared in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court in Half-Way-Tree.

Nooks, who appeared before Judge Jacqueline Wilcott, was represented by Queen’s Counsel Tom Tavares-Finson.

“Now, I can truly focus on my music. I have several songs, but I couldn’t voice them due to this court thing. It’s stressful and a real distraction. But now dem throw it out, I’m elated, happy and blessed,” he told the Jamaica Observer, shortly after the judge’s ruling. “I was looking for it (the not guilty verdict), though.”

Nooks said the situation became more stressful whenever he was booked for overseas gigs.

“It’s really pressuring to get to court… but to God be the glory, great things He hath done,” he said, adding that he was kept afloat by words of encouragement from fans.

“People still love George Nooks. I think I have gained fans, not lose any,” he said.

Tavares-Finson was pleased with the court’s decision.

“I was satisfied that there were serious discrepancies when the prosecution outlined the case in court,” he said. “So I was quite confident Mr Nooks would be vindicated.”

On May 5, 2017 Nooks was arrested by police after a bag containing just under two ounces of cocaine was found in his possession. He was offered station bail in the sum of $80,000.

This is not Nooks’ only tangle with the law. He was arrested in April after police said he swallowed substances on seeing them. Nooks was taken to Kingston Public Hospital for observation and subsequently released. No charges were filed against him.

Inspired by his mentor, Dennis Brown, Nooks burst onto the entertainment scene in the 1970s as deejay Prince Mohammed, with producer Joe Gibbs. His hit songs for Gibbs include Tribal War (as George Nooks) and Forty Leg Dread.

After a decade-long absence from the charts, Nooks roared back in 2001 with God is Standing By, a cover of Al Green’s gospel hit of the same name.

He has been a popular live and recording act since.

By Brian Bonitto
Associate Editor —
Auto & Entertainment