ST JAMES, Jamaica —A woman, who is accused of stealing nearly $150,000 from her employer, will spend the weekend in the confines of the Freeport lock-up after her bail was revoked in the St James Parish Court on Friday.

The defendant Elaine Baker, who is answering to embezzlement charges, failed to appear in court on time and was also delinquent in bringing the balance owed to the complainant.

Observer Online understands that the court had been waiting for more than an hour for the accused woman, who arrived at 11:15 am when she should have been there at 10:00 am.

Presiding Judge Kaysha Grant-Pryce expressed her dissatisfaction with the accused woman’s tardiness and emphasised the importance of punctuality in maintaining an efficient judicial system.

Baker, who has begun restitution payments, was also supposed to bring the remaining balance of $13,500 on Friday, the final day, but that was not forthcoming.

“How are we going to get the money today?” presiding judge Kaysha Grant-Pryce asked Baker. She did not respond.

“So, who are you going to call? If the money doesn’t come, I will be holding you in custody,” the judge said.

At that point, the judge stood down the matter so Baker could try to contact someone for help. No one came forward. When the case was revisited, Baker informed the court that she had not been successful in obtaining the funds, and the judge remanded her in custody until December 11.

“Hopefully, by then, the money will have arrived,” the judge said as a police officer escorted her to the holding area.

According to court records, Baker was employed by the complainant to work at a bar. Between March 1 and March 21, it is alleged that she removed money from the till amounting to $147,000, for her personal gain.

When confronted by the complainant, she reportedly confessed to taking the money.

There was an out-of-court agreement for Baker to repay the money, but that was not honoured, resulting in the matter being reported to the police and her subsequent arrest.