Pretentious bearer leaves lawyer furious

A Kingston-based lawyer on Tuesday expressed outrage at the allegations that a bearer, posing as an attorney-at-law, collected $300,000 from a woman to assist her in obtaining a title for a plot of land.

The bearer, Christopher Fielding, has been charged with obtaining money by means of false pretence.

When the matter came up in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on Tuesday, attorney-at-law Ayesha Robb-Cunningham rose to express outrage.

"Your Honour, it is very unfortunate and I do not think that the court, as an officer of this court, and I would say as a mentor of this noble profession, a profession that we are still trying to keep in a noble way, should really have matters of this nature affecting the profession," Robb-Cunningham said.

She added: "It is very unfortunate that somebody who is merely a bearer is collecting so much money from someone, and purporting to be an attorney-at-law. It does not sit well with the profession, Your Honour, because we have to train very long sleepless nights, it was not easy, and for someone to just come and treat the profession as if it is a patty shop."

Fielding, who pleaded not guilty, was ordered by Senior Parish Judge Lori-Anne Cole-Montaque to make restitution to the complainant. However, on Tuesday, he turned up at court with only $40,000. The judge was not impressed. She told him that she would allow him another 30 minutes to come up with an additional $40,000 or he would be remanded in custody. The funds were not forthcoming, and Fielding was remanded and the matter adjourned until September 27.

Meanwhile, investigators told the court that they suspect there are other victims as Fielding was found in possession of a receipt book, which shows one other person handing over $450,000.