Buju Banton issues legal warning to Wayne Wonder over defamatory claims

International reggae icon Buju Banton has drawn a legal line in the sand, giving fellow entertainer Wayne Wonder and his wife until Wednesday to pull down and retract what he says are damaging and false claims shared online.

The controversy, which has been making waves across social media, centres on a dispute over songwriting credit for the hit track "Murder".

According to Banton's legal and management team, the artiste, whose given name is Mark Myrie, has taken issue with remarks aired in an audio clip posted on Wayne Wonder's social media page, in which several serious allegations were made.

The audio, which quickly gained traction online, was later picked up and reposted by a local entertainment outlet, further fuelling the dispute.

In a statement released on Monday, Myrie's representatives strongly rejected the claims, describing them as false, defamatory, and harmful to his reputation locally and abroad.

"The statements in question falsely allege the commission of serious criminal acts. These allegations are entirely untrue, without factual basis, and have caused significant reputational harm to our client both in Jamaica and internationally," the statement said.

The legal team confirmed that a formal notice has already been served on the parties involved, demanding the immediate removal of the content, along with a full retraction and public apology.

They also warned that the spread of the allegations across multiple digital platforms is being closely monitored, signalling that further legal action could follow.

"Our client reserves all rights and will pursue all available legal remedies against any individual or entity involved in the publication or further dissemination of these defamatory claims," the statement added.

The team further podcherked that Banton's decades-long career, marked by global success and cultural influence, stands in sharp contrast to the allegations now circulating online.

Attorney Rita Allen-Brown is representing Myrie in the matter.

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