Jamaica’s Arrest Warrant For Sade Adu (Transcript)

For decades, bribery accusations while on duty have long plague Jamaican police officers who are assigned road duties. But back in 1997, these allegations went global and it involve one of music’s most influential voices - Sade Adu. 

Morning Bird

Helen Folasade Adu was born in 1959 in Ibadan, Nigeria. However soon after, Sade’s parents divorce. In the wake of this, Sade’s father remained in his home country as a lecturer of economics while her mother took Sade and older brother, Banji, to the UK. It was there, in the small town named, Holland-on-Sea, that Sade grew up. And it wasn’t easy; her mother struggled to raised her two Black children in rural 1960’s England. Despite this though, Sade would find solace in the creative arts. As she told Spin Magazine in a 1985 interview:   

“Of course I’ve struggled, in every way. I’ve never had anything come easily to me other than the creative side”

It was her love for the arts that guide Sade after completing secondary school. She decided on fashion and went on to study fashion design at St Martin's School of Art. While there, she also worked as a part-time model. Still, one night when Sade went to see the lovers rock band, Misty in the Roots, she ran into two guys from her childhood. It was this chance meeting that change the trajectory of her life. As she recalled in a 1992 interview with Michael A. Gonsalves: 

“…it was two guys from my village that I ran into when I went to see Misty in the Roots, a lovers rock band that was big in England. These guys had a band, but their singer had left. They asked if I wanted to be the singer, but I told them, “I’m not a singer. I’m just a girl who likes to party.” I told them I would try. Eventually somebody was supposed to replace me, but that never happened. I learned more during that time than at any other time in my life. They were sweet blokes, because if it wasn't for the blind faith in me, I couldn’t be singing”

Soon after finishing her fashion course, Sade worked as a menswear designer before another musical opportunity presented itself. This time it was singing backup vocals for the band, Pride. As she told Rolling Stone in a 1985 interview:

“When singing came up, I didn’t think about making a career of it. I don’t do crocheting and I don’t play badminton so I thought, this could be a good hobby” 

Ironically, Sade was rejected at first but when the band was unable to find anyone else, she was asked to join. While in Pride, Sade would meet the saxophonist-guitarist, Stewart Matthewman. One night in 1983, Sade, backed by Matthewman and a rhythm section, performed a rendition of Cry Me A River. The performance blew the crowd away and it was on that night that the roots of the band that would become, Sade, was planted. By October 1983, the band was signed to Epic and now consisted of Sade on vocals, Matthewman on sax and guitar, Paul Denman on bass, Andrew Hale on keys and the drummer Paul Cooke. 

The Sweetest Gift

A few months later in February, the group’s first single “Your Love is King” was release which was followed up by “When Am I Going To Make a Living”. A year later in 1984, the group released their debut album, “Diamond Life” - which spawn the hits - “Smooth Operator”. But it was their follow up album, “Promise”, in 1985 that thrusted the band to even more success with hits such as, “Is It A Crime” and “The Sweetest Taboo”. Their sound would be love by critics for the anti-electronic sound that dominated the mid 1980’s. As Stephen Holden would reviewed for the New York Times in a 1985 article titled, “The Pop Life: Sade's 2D Album, A Refined Fusion”: 

“Like its forerunner, ''Promise'' ignores the prevailing pop trend toward bright electronic surfaces in favor of a refined, acoustically based fusion of pop, jazz, funk and Latin influences”

For their efforts on both “Diamond Life” and “Promise”, the band went on to win the Best New Artist at the 1986 staging of the Grammys. The sound laid on both albums would become the signature music style of the band for years and make them one of the most influential musical acts of all time.

By 1988, the group released their third LP, “Stronger Than Pride”, which spawned the hit, “Love Is Stronger Than Pride”. However at this time, the band’s leading woman would become known for more than her vocals. Throughout the mid to late 1980’s, Sade emerged as a fashion icon. A clear contrast to the glittery, sparkly, and big hair fashion of the decade, the fashion graduate was known for her liberal, neutral-coloured fashion, gold hoop earrings and slick-back ponytail hairdo. As she stated in a 1980s interview with the magazine, Face:

“I don't like things that are glittery or flashy. Simplicity is the key, looking subtle without looking dull”

She expounded on this with in her 1984 appearance on Video Soul: 

“Sade just love simple clothes really”

After this, the band went on an a hiatus. According to Sade in a 1992 interview:

“Obviously, think alot of people are afraid that if they disappear for a while, everything will crumble - they'll come back and there’s no place for them. I think the break actually, being away was good for us all, you know. Cause it gives you a chance to realise why you’re doing what you do and actually want to do what you do, Not just do it because you’re already there and you’re on the roll.” 

It was not until 1992 that the band would release their next project, “Love Deluxe”. The album would spawned the hits: “Kiss of Life”, “Cherish The Day” and “No Ordinary Love”. The latter song won the Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. After the completion of their tour in the wake of the album, the group went on a hiatus. This time, its instrumentalist members went on to work on Maxwell’s 1996 debut album, “Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite”. In the same year, they - Matthewman, Denman, and Hale - would formed a band named Sweetback and released a self-titled album.

As for Sade, she gave birth to her son in 1996 and moved temporarily to Jamaica, where she was in a relationship with local reggae producer, Bob Morgan.

It is here that our story begins. 

Is It A Crime

On March 11, 1997, The Jamaica Gleaner ran the following in a story titled, “Int’l Singers Expletives Strike Sour Note”: 

“The police say the accused was travelling in the vicinity of Barnett Street and Howard Cooke Boulevard, Montego Bay, last month, when she was signalled to stop by a police officer. Reports to the courts say she was ignored the order and was chased by another police officer. The policeman caught up with her along the Gloucester Avenue hotel strip, and the singer was taken to the Summit Police Station where she reportedly let loose several expletives. Sade was arrested and charged with dangerous driving, disobeying a police signal and disorderly conduct. She was given station bail in her own surety” 

When, Sade showed up in court, she was represented by the attorney-at-law, Victor Robinson and reports stated that she was accompanied to court by two men of Rastafari faith and a woman. She would plead not guilty to charges of traffic violation and disorderly conduct and was task to return to court on June 25. 

However, this is what Sade related to Times Magazine in a 2000 article titled “Sade Art & Soul”:

“It wasn't really a traffic incident, to be honest… It got blown into some incredible farcical event.”

According to the singer, it was the Jamaican policeman who tried to pressure her into giving him a bribe. Still, the case got complicated after Sade’s first time in court.

The June hearing never happened because Sade was absent. The reason given for her absence was that her child was bitten by a dog, and could not travel because of that. Then, the case was delayed for the third time, and then again for fourth time. By this time, due to Sade’s repeated absence, a warrant was issued for her arrest and the court case was now pushed back to October. 

So here comes October 15 and this time Sade showed up to court. Now, at this point, she was not living on the island so she came all the way from England just for the court case. According to a October 17, 1997 Gleaner article, this was how Sade showed up: 

“At about 10:10 a.m. Sade, dressed in simple but classy black trousers and top with a floral vest, showed up with her three member entourage including “dreadlocks” finale in tow”. A self-appointed bodyguard took immediate steps to bar members of the press from taking photographs of the Nigerian-born singer” 

And so the stage was set: Sade was finally in court, this time with a new lawyer - Clive Mullings - and thus the hearing was ready to get underway. 

Except the investigating police officer did not show up. 

The court was told that the officer, Special Constable Palmer, was on vacation leave. To this Mullings told the court: 

“The tendency or the norm is that members of the public do not turn up at court even for serious offences, but my client has shown the highest regard for the courts, having traveled all the way from England for this matter”

But when Mullings requested that the charges against his client be dismissed, the appeal was rejected by a panel of Justice of the Peace. As such, a new trial date was set and to this Sade requested a convenient date as she told that she had a recording contract that she had honour. Thus, the date selected was February 3, 1998. 

But on the day, Sade did not show up. So the trial was pushed to April but again Sade did not show up. To this, Mullings, who was still her lawyer, stated that she had contractual obligations abroad and thus could not visit Jamaica. When Mullings pushed for a new date, the court granted him the appeal and May 6 was set for the new court date. But when that date came, Sade still did not show. Mr. Mullings would give the same reason of contractual obligations for Sade’s absence and the judge, this time resident magistrate Glen Brown, agreed to a new date of June 17. 

And just a bit of side note -  by this time in 1998, Sade first legal representation on the case, Victor Robinson, stated that he was suing Sade and her romantic partner, Bobby Morgan for $100,000 in legal fees for which he said he was owed. We have no update on if that went suit was filed as we could not find any evidence that summons was served. 

Still, when June 17, came around, yet again, Sade did not show up and another warrant was issued for her arrest. But as she told Time Magazine in the aforementioned interview, two years later, she plans to never visit Jamaica again, in order to avoid been arrested. As such, by all instances and purposes, Sade has not been on the island since October 1997. Recent checks with Clive Mullings confirmed, that, yes indeed, Jamaica still has warrant out for Sade Adu’s arrest. 

Lovers Rock

Still, Adu’s time on the island was not in vain. In 2000, the band reunited to release their fifth studio album, “Lovers Rock”. An ode to the Jamaican musical genre which took over the U.K. throughout the 1970’s, the album fused reggae, soul, R&B, and jazz; and contained the hit singles, “By Your Side”, and “King of Sorrow”. One song in particular, “Slave Song”, was inspired by Bob Marley and the Wailers. As Sade stated in an interview with Vibe Magazine: 

“One day we started jamming on it in a really dubby way, and I started to feel the weight of the sea and what it must have been like on the journey over to America. Then I thought of Bob Marley’s Redemption Song and thought, ‘Well, what is my point here?’ I knew if I stayed true to that song, it would all work out.”

For their efforts, the band won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album in 2002. By 2010, it was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America and in 2013 was certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).

After an almost 10-year hiatus, Sade released their sixth album, “Soldier of Love” in 2010. The first single and title track won a Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. The group has not released a studio album since. However, in 2024, Sade release, “Young Lion”, which appeared on the compilation project, Transa. The song was dedicated to Adu’s transgender son, Izaak. 

Still, despite their current hiatus, the band’s influence can still be heard in a range of musicians worldwide - a list that is too long for this episode. Most recently, fellow Nigerian musician, Rema, would sample Adu’s vocals for his 2025 single, “Baby (Is It A Crime)”. Likewise, Sade’s fashion icon status, as well as her mystique, is still in the public domain. In fact, in 2020, Jorja Smith paid homage to Adu in her music video, “By Any Means”; and in December 2023, Mya would do the same in a series of Instagram photos.

Now, whether the band will release a next project? That’s still up in the air.

Whether Sade Adu will ever visit the island again? Well, we have to wait to see if the island’s arrest warrant for one of music’s most reclusive artist, is ever lifted.

But to all Jamaicans who are fan of Sade, there is hope.

Hang On To Your Love

Now, recent events have soon show that the country is starting to deal with some of its legal issues regarding musical acts. Take for example Mavado who on June 9, 2018, a warrant for his arrest was issued on charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. But on October 2025, this warrant was vacated where Mavado would make his grand return to the island for the first time in more than a decade. At the time of this record, there is rumour of a concert. 

So again to the Jamaican Sade fans, there is hope. 

Still, we should say that Jamaican police officers who are assigned road duties still have a turbulent relationship with the public due to the many complains of officers allegedly pressuring motorists for bribes. And just like Sade, almost 30 years ago, musicians are included in these complaints.

In one of these cases, is the Grammy-nominated musician, Lila Ike who in July 2025, was charge, alongside a co-accused, with charges of indecent language, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest in relation to a traffic stop along the Mandela Highway. Still, Lila, during her Sumfest set, gave the public a hint of what might have happened in her version of the event. As she sang a remix of her hit, “Solitude”: 

“Peace of mind, dat’s why I seek to find,

Sometimes I’m not in the mood, for no police bribe me,

Is best you leave me alone”

When Lila showed up to court in October, she was ordered to return. But according to the Gleaner, when the date of the next hearing was announced, Lila told the judge: 

"Mi can’t come, mi have show” 

Let us hope for everyone’s sake that Lila, unlike Sade, shows up to these court dates.