This is according to a US government informant who accused Banton of making the disclosure during a conversation on a flight from Spain to Miami, in 2009, at the end of a European tour.
Banton is on trial in a federal court in Tampa, on charges of conspiring to distribute cocaine and carrying a firearm, during the course of a drug trafficking crime.
The informant, Alexander Johnson, said that he taped a number of meetings and telephone conversations with Banton, during which they discussed the subject of buying and selling cocaine.
Johnson told the court, that Banton admitted that his only involvement is the movement of money out of England for the traffickers. Recordings of conversations from 2007 to 2009 between the two were played in court on Tuesday 21st September, as the trial got into high gear.
“All I do is finance,” said the voice, said to be Banton in the tape recording.
Johnson charged that he and Banton had many discussions about the sale of drugs in Europe, with banton financing the deals, buying drugs from the Caribbean island of St. Martin and from Columbia. Banton’s boat was to be used to be used for the transshipment, with Johnson getting a cut of the deal.
In cross examination however, Banton’s lawyer, David Markus, challenged Johnson that the conversation only turned to drugs after the two men had gotten drunk on the flight to Miami from Spain.
Markus put it to Johnson that he had spoken about Banton doing a lot of things that he did not do.
Johnson said that Banton complained about the impact of cancellations of various US concerts that were cancelled, due to protests against the singer’s songs attacking gays.
Johnson said that Banton told him that “They are pushing merman. These guys are trying to run me under”.
Buju Banton could be sentenced to life if found guilty.