Messado to stand trial for allegedly fleecing Mavado of millions
Published:Friday | April 8, 2022 | 12:09 AM
Disbarred attorney Jennifer Messado is to return to the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court for trial on September 12 in connection with allegations that she fleeced dancehall entertainer Mavado of more than $30 million in a 2017 real estate transaction.
The trial date was set yesterday when Messado appeared in court for a plea and case management hearing.
However, the matter is to be mentioned on May 5 for the court to decide whether the entertainer, whose given name is David Brooks, will be allowed to give testimony via video link from the United States after his attorney, Oswest Senior Smith, made an application for him to testify remotely.
Allegations are that in April 2017, Brooks was introduced to a property at Grosvenor Terrace, Kingston 8, and started making arrangements to purchase the property through his attorney, Tamika Harris.
Messado reportedly professed to have been given permission to oversee the sale as the owner was incarcerated overseas.
Brooks later reportedly paid Messado $30.7 million for the property and signed a sale agreement and a document giving him possession.
However, it was later discovered that the property was not for sale and that the owner was not incarcerated.
The owner of the property further indicated that he did not know Messado and did not give her permission to sell his property.
Following the alleged fraud, Mavado was reportedly reimbursed $7 million.
However, after several attempts to recover the balance failed, he reported the matter, and Messado was arrested and charged with obtaining money by false pretence.