St Catherine principal's Clifton land fraud case adjourned to May 18

Suelyn Ward-Brown, a St Catherine resident, will have to wait longer to learn whether her matter will proceed in court. She is accused of taking about $4 million from purchasers for lots that were later found to belong to the state.

The case was called before Acting Senior Parish Court Judge Janelle Nelson-Gayle at the St Catherine Parish Court on Monday and was put off until May 18. Ward-Brown was told her bail would run through that date.

Deborah Martin and Kelly Hamilton appeared for the accused. The file had earlier been before the St Catherine Circuit Court, but it was sent back to the parish court after officials found some issues did not meet the threshold for prosecution at that level.

Ward-Brown is charged with breaches of the Proceeds of Crime Act, the Law Reform Fraudulent Transactions Special Provisions Act, and conspiracy to defraud.

Five people told authorities they paid a school principal more than $4 million for land near Clifton, St Catherine. One complainant allegedly paid $2.4 million for a plot, while others said they paid $800,000 and $600,000.