Mavado Awaits Word On Whether Outstanding Warrant Exists In Jamaica
The $30 million fraud case involving disbarred attorney-at-law Jennifer Messado, in which Dancehall star David ‘Mavado’ Brooks is the complainant, was postponed last week when the case was mentioned in the Kingston and St. Andrew parish court.
Oswest Senior-Smith, attorney-at-law representing Mavado, disclosed that on Friday, the case was adjourned until October 13th. The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) had been expected to reveal whether there were outstanding warrants for his client, Mavado.
On June 5, 2018, the Constant Spring Police had issued a notice for Mavado to report to the police station by midday the next day, for questioning in an “ongoing investigation” regarding a flare-up of violence in Cassava Piece, St. Andrew.
Reports are Mavado had already left the island, following a June 2, 2018 confrontation with a man in the community, who was allegedly involved in a dispute with the artist’s teenage son, Dantay Brooks. Brooks and another man Andre Hinds, were ultimately convicted of the murder of Lorenzo Thomas, who was killed on June 5, 2018.
In July, the ODPP had been set to submit an application seeking approval from the court for Mavado, who resides in the US, to give testimony via video link in the high-profile fraud case. Approval can only be granted if Mavado, whose given name is David Brooks, has no outstanding warrants in Jamaica.
Senior-Smith is unruffled by the brouhaha surrounding the admissibility of Mavado’s testimony, dubbing it a “storm in a teacup” as his client’s testimony is not critical to the successful prosecution of the case.
“Mavado is not a critical witness, he would just appear to say that the money in question belongs to him; the lawyer and the other party who paid over the money to Messado are the critical witnesses in the case,” Senior-Smith said.
Still, Senior-Smith will have to wait until October 13th to find out whether his client will be allowed to testify via video link. Mavado has vehemently denied that he is wanted by the police and believes that the corrupt justice system has conjured up a ‘fake warrant’ to frustrate his attempts to regain his money.
Mavado came out swinging last week against what he dubbed ‘corruption in the justice system,’ hitting out at the “fake warrant” that some Jamaica Constabulary Force sources claim exists.
“Let’s hear what the judge has to say tomorrow (Friday( 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 wrote on his Instagram page last week.
He also posted a written statement outlining his arguments in the case.
“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 wrote.
“Now, my ppl years ago when I left Jamaica, I left things in my lawyers’ hands. My lawyers – both overseas and in Jamaica, were in regular communication with the Jamaica Constabulary Force and there was never any mention of outstanding warrants, nothing like that was said to my lawyers over a four year period. I wasn’t wanted for anything or any reason in Jamaica,” he said.
Jennifer Messado, who has been disbarred, is accused of defrauding the entertainer in a real estate deal. It is alleged that in April 2018, Mavado made arrangements to purchase property at Grosvenor Terrace, Kingston 8 through his attorney, Tamika Harris.
Messado allegedly claimed that she was granted 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. It soon came to light that the property was not for sale and that the owner had not, in fact, been incarcerated.
The owner of the property further indicated that he did not know Messado and never gave her permission to sell his property. Mavado was reportedly reimbursed $7 million.
After several attempts to recover his money failed, the entertainer reported the matter to the police and Messado was arrested and charged with obtaining money by false pretence.