Accused of taking part in the assault of six homosexuals on 24 June 2004 in Kingston, Buju Banton was acquitted on 20 January. Singled out in particular by gay rights groups for his tune Boom Bye Bye in the early 90s, Buju Banton had a difficult year in 2005, unable to perform concerts in the face of protests from gay rights groups.
"After the persecution by Amnesty International, which declared the deejay guilty without further ado, I would like to hear what they have to say now," Donovan Germaine, Buju Banton's manager, told Yardflex. The main Jamaican association, JFLAG, said it was leaving comment to its lawyers, having not yet agreed on how to proceed in this affair.