Jail life brutal for alleged choppa - Man on multimillion-dollar bank card rap keeps fainting in lock-up

A software engineer who allegedly conspired with an unnamed mastermind to steal money from people's bank accounts has been experiencing fainting spells since being locked-up.

The accused man, Matthew Graham, was rushed to hospital Thursday night, hours after being denied bail by Senior Parish Judge Lori-Anne Cole-Montaque when he appeared before the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court.

Graham, 26, is charged with five counts of simple larceny, three counts of conspiracy to defraud, four counts of unauthorised access to computer data, four counts of access with intent to commit or facilitate the commission of an offence and two counts of possession of criminal property. He has not yet entered a plea.

It is alleged that on three occasions, Graham went to business establishments and stated his intention to make cash purchases. However, he told the proprietors that he did not have the physical bank cards but knew the numbers. After being denied service at one car mart in Kingston, Graham, the court heard, went to another and convinced the agents to allow him to input the numbers in their point of sale machine because he did not have the card.

"The way how transaction was done, under normal circumstances you would need six digits to authorise a transaction, and, in this instance, he only used three," the prosecutor said.

The court was told that he purchased three cars from a particular car mart, after spending $8.4 million. It is further alleged that he got two of the vehicles -- a 2017 white Subaru and 2017 white Toyota Axio. The third was not delivered because it was at the wharf.

The investigating officer shared with the court that the vehicles were handed over to Graham as the complainant was fearful. He said that the complainant reported that he was threatened by unknown men and Graham, who bragged of owning rifles and other guns.

It is further alleged that on another occasion, Graham went to a hardware store in St Mary where he again convinced the agent to allow him to input his card number in the point of sale machine to facilitate the transaction. On that occasion, he left with $1.5 million in building materials, the court was told.

Graham was apprehended earlier this month when he visited a branch of the National Commercial Bank to check on other transactions that he made in St Mary.

"When he was to be arrested, he was being disrespectful and he said to the officer, 'A true nuh body nah murder unnu'," the investigator told the court.

Graham's attorney, Orville Morgan, made an unsuccessful bail application before Senior Parish Judge Lori-Anne Cole-Montaque who ordered him remanded in custody until September 28.

"We are saying that at no time that we went to [the car mart] to swipe a card or do anything to the card machine, and we issued no threat to anyone at [the car mart]. Hearing all of this, My Lady, that is not true," Morgan submitted.

He told the court that his client has been experiencing fainting spells since being in custody. However, Cole-Montaque was not swayed.

"I am not of the view that there are any conditions that can be put in place at this time to help you. I am very concerned about the threat and I have attached much weight to that. It is unfortunate but bail is denied," the judge said.