A property manager accused of embezzling over $3 million from tenants at the Diocese of Jamaica was offered bail in the sum of $600,000 when he appeared in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on Tuesday.

Wayne Morrison, 46, was charged with three counts of embezzlement after he allegedly collected money from three tenants between June and October 2022, but failed to submit the monies to his employer’s accounts department.

The sum totalled $3,900,000.

The court was told that the investigating officer indicated that when the police officers had gone to arrest Morrison at the Diocese of Jamaica, he informed them that he needed to go upstairs to retrieve “something.” After the police officer asked if they could accompany him, he reportedly refused and was arrested immediately.

The police officer, the court was told, feared Morrison wanted to escape.

Additionally, Morrison supposedly still has the login-in to the building and as such he was not offered station bail for fear that he will return to the location.

Despite this, the prosecution did not oppose bail. Instead, it was recommended that “strict conditions” be imposed if he was to be offered bail.

Morrison’s attorney told Senior Parish Judge, Lori-Ann Cole-Montague, that since he was arrested at his place of work, he would have had a bag and other belongings in the Diocese of Jamaica building, which were later retrieved by a relative.

It was also revealed that Morrison is a single parent of a seven-year-old child.

“He has never had any adverse brush with the law,” the attorney said.

Morrison was ultimately offered a $600,000 bail with one to two sureties. He was ordered to report to the nearest police station on Mondays to Fridays, between the hours of 6:00 am to 6:00 pm, and to surrender all travel documents. A stop order for Morrison was also placed at all the ports, and he is not to return to the business.

Morrison is to return to court on March 7, when the prosecution anticipates that the case file will be completed.