KINGSTON, Jamaica — The six people accused of a multi-million dollar scam targeting an elderly customer of the National Commercial Bank (NCB) are closer to a trial date as the crown continues to build its case.

Five of the accused — Marlando Rowe, Nemoy Rodney, Shamar Cammock, Kimmor Peters, and Briana Smickle appeared in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on Tuesday with their attorneys.

Reports from the Major Organised Crime & Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA) are that the six accused took part in a smishing scam that allegedly siphoned off and distributed US$45,000 and J$7.4 million.

While Smickle, Peters and Rodney were on bail, Cammock and Rowe were brought in from custody — Cammock, because he had not taken up his J$2 million bail offer, while Rowe, who is a police constable, had not been granted bail.

Rowe’s attorney attempted to get the court to consider bail which sparked a long back-and-forth between the defence attorney, the crown and presiding Judge Sanchia Burrell.

The attorney cited the length of time that had passed since Rowe’s last bail application indicating that the prosecution had not yet submitted certain documents pertaining to his client.

Pointing out that Burrell’s initial decision not to grant Rowe’s bail had been upheld at the Supreme Court and was already being contested at the appellate level, the crown questioned why bail was being raised in the parish court simultaneously.

Despite heated presentations from the defence, Burrell indicated firmly, “I have not heard anything that would cause me to disturb the decision I made.”

In response to the argument from Rowe’s attorney, she also pointed to the court’s system of classifying cases, indicating that the complex joint case was on an extended track allowing the crown several months of legroom to build and take their case to trial.

The final accused person, Zowann Foster, was absent from court.

Her mother, who travelled from St Elizabeth, appeared emotional as she described extreme health challenges Foster is reportedly facing.

On humanitarian grounds, Foster was allowed $1 million bail with her mother as a surety.

Rowe was remanded in custody, as was Cammock pending a bail review, while the other three had their bail extended.

It was revealed in court that Smickle was not one of the initial accused and had been arrested at a later date, while Glenecia Smith has already pleaded guilty and has been sentenced, keeping the number of accused in the case at six.

They are charged with possession of criminal property, receiving stolen property and engaging in transactions involving criminal property.

Foster was handed an additional charge of facilitating the use of criminal property.

The accused will return on October 22 and attorneys are expected to have organised a trial date by then.

— Dana Malcolm