Kartel has been found guilty

Popular Jamaican dancehall and reggae star Vybz Kartel has been found guilty of murder in a high-profile trial.

Illegal guns

LISBON - He and three co-defendants were convicted under tight security of killing an associate, Clive Lizard Williams, in a row over a missing gun.Parts of the capital Kingston were cordoned off in advance of the verdict and police patrols were stepped up. Kartel, whose real name is Adidja Palmer, is one of the biggest names in Jamaican dancehall reggae.

The BBC's Nick Davis in Kingston says that Kartel's bleached skin - covered by tattoos - made him stand out from the crowd - and the "World Boss" as he called himself also often glorified violence in his music. The 65-day trial was the longest running criminal hearing in the history of Jamaica's circuit court system, local media reported.

Police cordoned off streets around the Supreme Court before Thursday's session started, seeking to prevent any disruption by fans supporting the entertainer. Shortly before the jury started to deliberate in the afternoon, about 200 people briefly broke through barricades at one intersection shouting "Free Kartel!".

The sentencing date is scheduled for 27 March and Kartel's lawyers have indicated they will appeal against the verdict. (FM).