JAMAICAN dancehall deejay Bounty Killer has been stranded in Port-of-Spain,Trinidad, since Sunday after his passport was seized by the police there. The deejay, whose real name is Rodney Price, was taken off the stage at 'Summerfest 2004', a concert staged at the Queen's Park Savannah on Saturday night, for using obscene language during his performance. He was arrested and charged under Section 51 of Trinidad's Summary Offences Act, which makes it a crime to use language considered profane, indecent or obscene in a song. He appeared in court yesterday and the hearing was postponed until November 1. Although he has been given TT$25,000-bail, his passport has been seized by the authorities, preventing him from leaving the island. Elephant Man, who was on the same show, but refused to perform after Bounty Killer was detained, was understood to still be in Port-of-Spain up to last night. According to a source in Port-of-Spain, Bounty Killer and Elephant Man were scheduled to headline the show, which also featured Machel Montano. A crowd of over 15,000 people were said to have descended on the venue despite warnings of Tropical Storm Earl. Montano opened the show and was followed by Bounty Killer who, sources said, launched into a tirade of obscenities after 15 minutes on stage. A member of his team went on stage to warn him against the behaviour and he apologised, but suggested that he was a "bad man" who had to use the words. The police immediately took him off the stage and detained him for approximately half-an-hour at the venue before taking him to the Central Police Station where he was charged. In the meantime, persons in the crowd started pelting the stage and the police with bottles, forcing cops to shield themselves with plastic chairs. However, two constables assigned to the city's Guard and Emergency Branch were injured in their faces and had to be taken to the General Hospital for treatment. A side screen used to project the happenings on stage to a wider audience and other equipment were destroyed during the incident. The police, a source said, retreated to the front of the stage and fired several shots into the air and used tear gas to disperse the angry crowd. Sources said that it was the first time the local police had to use tear gas at a music concert. The local authorities then deployed a large contingent of police and soldiers in Independence Square and surrounding areas to monitor people leaving the event. Elizabeth Montano, mother of Machel, stood surety for Bounty Killer. When he appeared in Port-of-Spain's Third Magistrate's Court yesterday morning, the deejay's attorney, Devesh Maharaj, asked the prosecution to clarify the charges against the deejay. Eventually one charge was brought against him, that of using obscene language during the performance of a song. The entertainer reportedly pleaded not guilty, then tried to change his plea after consultations with his attorney, but insisted that he did not commit the crime during the performance of his songs. Magistrate Maureen Gafwoor said that she could not accept his guilty plea, since he insisted that he had not committed the offence while performing his songs. The case was put off until November 1. However, the police have decided to hold on to Bounty Killer's passport, as they say they fear he may not return to answer the charges. Efforts were being made yesterday to appeal to the High Court for a ruling which would allow for the return of the entertainer's passport. Trinidadian sources claim that this was not the first time that Bounty Killer had to be warned about his behaviour on stage there. In the meantime, the promoters of the event, Tristar Promotions, have promised the public a free concert in September featuring both Bounty Killer and Elephant Man SOURCE: JAMAICAOBSERVER.COM