Cops seek landlord accused of stealing tenant’s mattress

The St James Parish Court has ordered that a warrant should be executed for the arrest of a St James man who allegedly stole several items from his tenant's premises in 2022, after he failed to appear in court on Wednesday.

Presiding judge Sasha-Marie Ashley made the order concerning Fabian Gordon, who is charged with housebreaking and larceny. His wife and co-defendant, Ronique Robinson, will stand trial on May 30.

The allegations are that on July 28, 2022, the complainant securely locked her house and went overseas. When she returned on September 13, she noticed that the apartment was broken into and several items were missing, including a mattress, washing machine, television, and three plastic chairs.

On November 11, the police, acting on information, visited Gordon's home where several items belonging to the complainant were recovered, and he and Robinson were arrested.

During Wednesday's sitting, the complainant told Judge Ashley that the defendants had previously agreed to pay.

"We went to mediation, and everything was amounted to US$11,450 (approximately J$1,768,000), and they agreed to pay US$7,000 (approximately J$1,081,000) of it. They were to pay $200,000 on the last occasion," the complainant revealed.

But Robinson, who stood alone in the prisoner's dock, insisted that she had no knowledge of the mediation agreement.

"They were in and out of the mediation, and at one point I heard a figure of $1 million," said Robinson.

"You are not going to stand there and tell me you do not know about it, because you are charged and a warrant is out for your husband. She [complainant] is coming and coming with no resolution," the unamused Judge Ashley replied.

Robinson's bail was extended to May 30, while the warrant for Gordon's arrest, which was previously issued on April 26, came into effect.