Dancehall artiste Vybz Kartel - File

Rumours quickly travelled across the world yesterday that the self-proclaimed 'World Boss' Vybz Kartel had escaped from custody.

Yesterday, rumours quickly circulated that the artiste, who is currently facing murder charges, had participated in one of the biggest prison escapes in Jamaican history. The story was reported by international sites such as MTV UK.

The rumours claimed that Kartel along with seven other inmates held officers at gunpoint and stole uniforms and a vehicle belonging to the Correctional Services Department, which they used to aid in their escape.

The news of the escape broke minutes after 2 a.m. and immediately began to spread to local entertainment websites such as tuffchin.com, dancehalltakeout.com, Outaroad.com among others. Social networking sites Twitter and Facebook also blew up with the rumours.

The news gradually spread to international sites like MTV UK and Mediatakeout.com.

The rumour also alleged that 12 persons were injured, and one prison officer suffered a heart attack while the artiste held the prison guards at gunpoint.

THE STAR contacted Sean Prendergast, commissioner of corrections at the Department of Correctional Services, and he rubbished the allegations of Kartel's escape.

According to the commissioner, Kartel and his co-accused are all safely behind bars. The deejay also appeared in the Gun Court Division of the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday and was remanded in custody.

"The reports are not true, there was not an attempt by Vybz Kartel to escape custody, Mr Palmer is still at the Horizon Adult Remand Centre, he was taken to court this morning by the police and will return today," he said.

Prendergast said that he was uncertain of the logics of starting the rumour, or where it began.

Vybz Kartel was arrested in October and is currently facing two murder charges, conspiracy to murder, illegal possession of a firearm and possession of ganja charges.