Bebe granted bail

Christopher Thomas Gleaner Writer

Western Bureau : Popular western Jamaica personality Kenrick “Bebe” Stephenson, who is facing charges of unlawful possession of property among other charges, was given new bail conditions when he appeared in court today.

Stephenson was among the 130 persons - mostly men clad in female apparel, who were taken into custody by the Leon Clunis led Lotto Scam Task Force following a raid on a night club on the Trelawny/ St. Ann border early Saturday morning.

After he was held, he was promptly charged for absconding bail in regards to the unlawful possession of property and abstracting electricity offences, which he should have answered in the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate Court on June 19.

In court today, Stephenson’s lawyer Nicole Allen told Resident Magistrate Sandria Wong-Small that her client had assumed that his appointed court date was July 19 and not June 19.

“I had thought the date was July 19, and I asked my client and he thought it was July 19 also,” Allen explained to the judge.

“Even the officer thought it was July 19... it was a genuine error and it was not meant to insult the court.”

However, judge Wong-Small was clearly not impressed by the explanation from the lawyer as she pointed out she was the one who signed the bail warrant and the date on it was June 19.

“The warrant was signed by me for June 19. I don’t care why it is that you have the wrong date…flimsy excuses such as mistaking the date will not cut it,” Wong-Small said sternly.

The judge also gave Stephenson a tongue-lashing for insulting an officer of the court, who had reprimanded him for chewing gum inside the courtroom during his last appearance.

“He (Stephenson) had the audacity to chew gum in my courtroom on the last occasion. It shows a gross lack of respect for the court,” Wong-Small said.

“None of the courthouse staff is to be intimidated. In here, the rules apply, the standards apply, and I will defend them to the death,” the judge added.

However, Stephenson was eventually offered bail in the sum of $100,000 with surety. He was ordered to report to the Coral Gardens Police Station every Monday between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. His matter is set for trial on October 10.

“Tell Mr. Stephenson to write down the date,” Judge Wong-Small instructed the accused man’s lawyer.

Stephenson was originally arrested on May 19 during a target raid against person believed to be involved in the illicit Lotto scam.

Several items, including a motor vehicle, a flat-screen television and two music speaker-boxes, were reportedly seized from Stephenson at the time of his arrest.

christopher.thomas@gleanerjm.com