—Article by Makhulu

Jennifer Messado, the once-prominent attorney who cut a niche for herself in the local real estate industry, is set to appear in court this September to answer allegations surrounding the misappropriation of funds concerning the sale of property to popular dancehall artiste Mavado.

The case sees Mavado paying over J$30.7 million for a property on Grosvenor Terrace, Kingston 8 after being told the owner was incarcerated. It then turned out the owner of said property did not even know Jennifer Messado and the property was never for sale thereby leaving Movado high and dry.

Mavado has rightfully sought to retrieve his money from Messado, who has now been barred from practising law as an attorney.

Other than this case with Mavado, Messado has faced a number of fraud charges where forgery has been alleged.

On May 25, 2018, Jennifer Messado, of a Kingston 8 address in St Andrew, was charged by detectives attached to the Counter-Terrorism and Organised Crime Investigations Branch (CTOC) on Friday, May 25 for breaches of the Forgery Act.

She was charged with Forgery, Uttering Forged Documents and Attempting to Obtain Money by Means of Forged Documents.

Allegations are that on March 26, 2018, Messado visited a prominent financial institution in the corporate area where she tendered a signed letter to the manager of the institution with the signatures of two persons. The letter had certain instructions allowing her to conduct business on behalf of the complainants. Checks were made and it was discovered that neither complainants gave the accused permission to conduct business on their behalf.

A report was subsequently filed with CTOC where an investigation was launched, which led to the arrest and charge of Messado. She was granted bail in the sum of $100,000.00 and is set to appear in the Corporate Area Parish Court on June 1

Jennifer Messado’s ongoing legal dramas have taken a toll and her general health has declined. Her physical deterioration is clearly apparent. It has also impacted her family with her son Duncan together with his wife migrating and seeking a fresh start outside of Jamaica.

Her husband, Geoffrey Messado, considered a business luminary in Corporate Jamaica, has also been hit with fraud charges concerning matters involving his wife.

With a tenacious Mavado seeking justice, Messado declared herself bankrupt last year which seemingly puts an obstacle in the way of Movado getting back the full sum. Messado has already paid him J$8 million and the battle is to recover the full quantum. 

Will he ever find solace?

Mavado has lamented how the wheels of justice, in this case, is turning too slowly calling attention to how the legal system in Jamaica is more favourable to “uptown people”.

He wrote: “Every time she goes to court, she goes home. Two years ago she and the court system tried to turn my money into a loan of J$150,000 per month payback (over 20 years) from a 75-year-old. Please remember I didn’t lend her my money….

“A couple days ago she got an opportunity to write an affidavit to the court saying she has no money to pay, and the reason she should not go to jail. I remember going to this lady’s office for the first time, finding out… she blatantly told me in front of her lawyer that there is nothing I can do about my money and she knows who to call.”

Mavado, who no longer resides in Jamaica, is looking to provide testimony in court proceedings via video link once permitted to do so by the court.

Specifically addressing the bias in Jamaica’s legal system he wrote: “This is Jamaica’s legal…that the Government cannot do anything about all because..and not from the ghetto…

“Ah things like this a mash up the country because it makes you wonder how may ppl may be not around because off…”

There can be little doubt that he should have his day in court.

Why is this case so important?

In recent years, a spate of cases has sprung up where lawyers – some prominent ones – have appropriated clients’ money and cannot account for it or hand over funds when required to do so. It has besmirched the profession. Messado will be given the opportunity to fully explain exactly what transpired, looking to not only exonerate herself but to redeem the practices of attorneys in the profession she once practised.

The term “shady Jamaican lawyer” is becoming far too familiar and gives some credence to the Minister of Legal and Constitutional Affairs Marlene Malahoo Forte often quoted description (then as President of the Resident Magistrates’ Association) of Jamaican attorneys as “hustlers”.

Speaking at an Editors’ Forum back in 2008, she is quoted as saying: “I think the legal profession has been relegated to a hustling. I think they do not understand their obligation to the court and to their clients and it is unfortunate.”

Then again if you can’t trust your attorney then who can you trust? All too often we hear the horror stories in Jamaica of attorneys entrusted with funds that mysteriously go missing or are used to enrich themselves giving lie to the supposition that the law is a noble profession.

Jennifer Messado has to do her utmost to see to it that she is not the poster child for unscrupulous lawyers who resort to chicanery to fatten their holdings.