ST JAMES, Jamaica — The St James Parish Court on Wednesday issued a warrant for a St James woman accused of posing as a rental agent online and defrauding a victim of JM$35,000.

The defendant, Yanique Gordon, is facing a charge of obtaining money by means of false pretence. She did not appear in court as scheduled.

When the case was brought before presiding judge Natiesha Fairclough-Hylton, the clerk of the court stated that she had received a medical document from the St James Health Department indicating that Gordon was deemed unfit and had been granted sick leave from April 19 to May 5.

The court was also informed that the Crown was waiting on a document from the Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS).

In light of the medical document that justifies Gordon’s absence from court, the judge issued a warrant, but the execution was postponed until May 8, when Gordon is scheduled to appear in court.

Court documents state that on August 10, 2022, the complainant came across an advertisement on the internet for an apartment available for rent in the Westgate area of St James.

The complainant reportedly contacted the number provided and later transferred the stated sum to the accused as a security deposit. She later attempted to contact the accused several times but was unsuccessful.

As a result, a report was made to the bank and the police. Gordon was later arrested and charged.