Mavado Concern About Arrest Warrant, Wants To Testify Via Video In $30m Case

Mavado’s lawyer is awaiting word from Jamaica’s top prosecutor, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) regarding possible outstanding warrant for the dancehall singjay.

Mavada’s high-profile, $30 million fraud case against Jennifer Messado remains in limbo, as his attorney has confirmed that they are not sure if he will be able to present evidence in the matter. This is due to issues surrounding whether or not the Gully Gad has outstanding warrants for his arrest in his native home Jamaica.

His attorney-at-law, Oswest Senior-Smith, who spoke with the Observer, confirmed that he and the entertainer are awaiting information from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) with regards to the alleged outstanding warrants.

“The ODPP is to complete enquiries to secure information as to whether there is an outstanding warrant and if so, what is it in relation to,” he added.

The issue came to light last week as the ODPP revealed that the office was set to submit an application seeking approval from the court for Mavado. He currently lives in the US but is needed to give evidence in the ongoing matter. That evidence was requested to be delivered via video link.

For the “So Special” deejay to do that, he can have no outstanding warrants in Jamaica, which it seems he does. That was made apparent just last month when the Jamaica Constabulary Force tweeted on June 6 that “the Constant Spring Police are asking dancehall artiste David Brooks o/c ‘Mavado,’ of Norbrook, St. Andrew to report to the station by midday on Wednesday, June 6. The Police believe he can assist with an ongoing investigation. Call 924-1421 if you know his whereabouts.”

The Jamaican authorities were seeking to question the veteran deejay, whose real name is David Brooks, in relation to rising violence in Cassava Piece, St Andrew. Not long after that statement was issued via social media, a significant uptick in violence in the area was recorded. The violence in question was supposedly caused by gang warfare in the area.

Even though the entertainer is originally from the area, there has been no established connection between him and the sudden rise of violence.

The defendant in the matter has been accused of defrauding Mavado through a supposed real estate deal. According to the facts on the matter, the deal was made sometime in April 2018, as Mavado expressed interest in securing a property at Grosvenor Terrace, Kingston 8.

Through his attorney at the time, Tamika Harris, he allegedly began to put things in place to acquire the property. That’s when Messado, who was an attorney at the time but has since been debarred, entered the picture. According to her, she had been given permission to oversee the sale because the owner was allegedly incarcerated overseas.

The “Neva Believe You” singer then reportedly paid Messado $30.7 million for the property and also signed a sale agreement, a document that he believed gave him possession of the property.

It was later discovered that the property was not for sale and that the owner was not incarcerated. That’s when the alleged fraud became very apparent as the owner in question stated that not only did he not know Messado but that he never gave her permission to sell his property. To date, Mavado has been reportedly given back just $7 million.

The ODPP is expected to return to court on September 29 to present its findings on the matter and to indicate if the case can move forward.