Tashieka Mair, STAR Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

The case against four of five persons accused of defrauding the St. James branch of the City of Kingston Cooperative Credit Union (COK) was adjourned sine die when the matter was mentioned in the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court on Monday.

Thirty-two-year-old Gresham Fletcher, Chinnel Francis, 20; Annie Hibbert, 44 and Lerone Nicholson, all of Kingston addresses, had the matter against them adjourned with no date set for resumption after the prosecution was unable to prove their involvement in the scam.

They were charged with conspiracy to defraud the credit union of more than $3 million.

However, despite the adjournment in the case, 24-year-old Tricia Thomas of Duhaney Park in St Andrew will have to face trial on a charge of obtaining money by false pretences on June 10.

Allegations are that on July 13, Thomas went to COK Montego Bay to acquire a $3m loan and told the manager she needed it to buy land. It is alleged that she presented a Jamaican passport and a COK identification card in the name 'Jedine Johnson' and gave satisfactory answers to questions asked.

Further allegations are that Thomas said her TRN card and other relevant personal documents were stolen. She picked up the cheque the following day and later cashed it at Bank of Nova Scotia at Cross Roads in Kingston.

She returned to COK Montego Bay on July 17 and requested an additional $3.5m loan. Checks were made and it was revealed that the accused was an imposter and she was asked to return to the bank the following day. Thomas returned with the other four accused persons and, after collecting the cheque, was nabbed by police.