Mavado “Encouraged” By New Trial Dates For Messado Fraud Case
Former attorney-at-law Jennifer Messado will stand trial March 1-3 next year on allegations that she defrauded dancehall entertainer Mavado, whose real name is David Brooks, of more than $30 million.
“Mavado is very encouraged given the setting of trial dates,” Oswest Senior Smith, Mavado’s lawyer, told DancehallMag.
The Not Perfect deejay wanted to give his testimony via video link from the US in the September trial. Senior Smith had made an application to this effect, but it is still unclear whether the entertainer will be granted permission to do so as there has been talk of an outstanding warrant for the entertainer’s arrest in relation to an incident years ago.
Senior-Smith did not confirm whether Mavado would appear in person or via video link for the newly scheduled court dates, but said that the issue is moot.
“From my perusal of the file, the critical witnesses are the two who gave the accused lawyer the various sums on behalf of Mr. Brooks,” Senior-Smith told DancehallMag. “Mr. Brooks’ potential testimony is little more than providing framework.”
Mavado has been upset about the slow workings of the justice system.
“Let’s hear what the judge has to say tomorrow about this fake warrant and this criminal element that stole my 30 million dollars going 5 years now without a night in jail,” a bitter Mavado had written on his Instagram page in September.
“Let’s talk about this so-called warrant we have heard about all of a sudden after 4 years. It seems as if some officers assigned to the Constant Spring police station, Jennifer Messado and her people are conspiring against me. The same police that locked up my son years ago are the same ones who have come up with this warrant 4 years later, in particular one police officer who told me that Jennifer Messado is her friend,” he added.
Mrs. Messado, who has been disbarred, is accused of defrauding the entertainer in a real estate deal. It is alleged that in April 2018, Mavado 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.
Mavado 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 never gave her permission to sell his property.
Following the alleged fraud, Mavado was reportedly reimbursed $7 million.
However, after several attempts to recover his money failed he reported the matter to the police, and Messado was arrested and charged with obtaining money by false pretense.