Music producer and politician Patrick Roberts, who has been before the courts to answer charges of forgery, uttering forged documents and conspiracy to defraud since 2021, on Thursday had his bail conditions varied to allow him to travel on business but not before his bail bond was increased.

Roberts, who has been out on station bail, had his bail increased from $300,000 to $600,000 when he appeared before Supreme Court Judge Justice Leighton Pusey in Kingston.

Roberts, who is the principal of recording label Shocking Vibes, is also the local government representative for the People’s National Party (PNP) as councillor for the West Central St Andrew constituency.

Attorney Sayeed Bernard, in making the application for Roberts’s bail to be varied, said it was to allow his client to collect his passport Thursday in order to leave Jamaica the following day, bound for the United States and then to the United Kingdom before returning to the island on May 22.

The passport will be returned to the custody of the court on May 23, the attorney said. In pressing for the request to be granted, Bernard emphasised that Roberts has his business established in the island as well as his family and as such there was “little to no risk” of him fleeing the bond.

Justice Pusey in granting the variation, however, took pains to point out that the timing of the application for the variation was unfortunate and placed the court in a difficult position given the nearness of the travel date. In response to Bernard’s stressing that Roberts’ travel was occasioned by his position as a councillor, Justice Pusey said the court was not moved by this as it had a duty to treat all individuals before it the same way without granting special privileges to any because of their positions.

The order was subsequently granted allowing Roberts to travel and his bail extended.

– Alicia Dunkley-Willis