A building contractor is now before the court on allegations that he conned a man out of $1.4 million after promising him large containers of rice, oil and salt fish.

Jeffery Edwards of Lakehurst Drive in Kingston was on Wednesday remanded when he appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court.

The accused was allegedly given $2.7 million by the complainant after passing himself off as a customs officer, but returned part of the money when the complainant demanded back his money.

On Wednesday when Edwards appeared in court, his attorney Patrick Bailey told the court that arrangements were being made for the complainant to get the rest of his money.

Bailey then enquired about bail for his client, but Senior Magistrate Judith Pusey told him that bail could not be considered because the accused was involved in another matter scheduled to come before the court on December 17. Edwards was remanded as a result.

Edwards is charged with obtaining money by false pretence, but his lawyer asked for him not to be pleaded.

It was alleged that between November 17 and 19, Edwards approached the 73-year-old complainant under the guise that he was a customs officer based at Kingston Wharves. He allegedly told the complainant that he could sell him two 20-foot container of rice, two 20-foot containers of oil, and a 40-foot container of salt fish.

The complainant reportedly paid over the money to Edwards in two instalments, but did not receive the goods.

The complainant subsequently demanded a return of his money and Edwards reportedly gave him $1.3 million along with a promissory note to repay him the remainder on November 27, but failed to do so.

The matter was reported to the police and Edwards arrested and charged.

— Tanesha Mundle