Bail offer reduced for accused job scammer

A St Catherine man who allegedly defrauded two individuals out of J$117,000 through an employment scam, was given a reduced bail offer of J$100,000 when he appeared in the St James Parish Court last Wednesday.

Bryan Payne, 25, who is charged with fraud, was previously offered J$150,000 bail. However, his attorney Suwayne Phillips, told Judge Sandria Wong-Small that the defendant’s relatives could not afford to pay that sum.

“I will reduce the bond to $100,000, but the other conditions will remain the same,” Wong-Small announced as she set the case for mention on July 4.

She also remanded Payne until that date.

Payne had previously been on bail, but was taken back into custody after his sureties returned the bail bonds to the court.

At that time, the sureties said they were returning the bonds because they had not been informed as to why the accused man was before the court.

Allegations are that in September 2017, the two complainants entered into an agreement with Payne for him to get them employment in the Ministry of Health.

When the promised employment was not forthcoming, the complainants demanded the return of their money, but Payne failed to comply.

A report was subsequently made to the police, and following investigations, Payne was arrested and charged.