In recent months, media have described disbarred attorney Jennifer Messado as “embattled”; I on the other hand would prefer to apply the Jamaican adjective, “salt”. Messado, who is in her late 60s, has been reporting to court after being slapped with fraud-related charges, quite the plot twist from her glory days of being in the courtroom. She is facing six charges of forgery and obtaining funds under false pretence in real estate matters.

While the law says one is innocent until proven guilty,  I must say Messado had all of this coming. She reportedly defrauded entertainer Mavado of more than $30 million for a property she said was for sale, a claim the land owner has outrightly denied. To make matters worse, Messado further claimed the property owner was incarcerated overseas, which was also false. Politician Norman Horne is also another victim of Messado’s underhand acts as he was defrauded of approximately $28 million in real estate matters.

In the heat of the “casscass”, Messado defecated on herself while making her way to a courtroom at the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court in Half-Way Tree, St. Andrew last month. Her attorney Christopher Townsend told THE STAR at the time his client was ill and her health had deteriorated due to the mounting stress of the case.  That stress however could have been avoided had Messado acted with integrity last year when dealing with her very own clients.

The truth is, you attract what you put in and you reap what you sow. At her age Messado should be retiring, perhaps on vacation in The Bahamas with her grandchildren, posting adorable photos on Facebook with the hashtag “Living my best life”. Instead, her actions have placed her in a dilemma where she has not only been stripped of her position, but faces some serious jail time. In addition to this, Messado’s bail conditions include her reporting daily to the Constant Spring Police Station and surrendering of her travel documents.

It is truly a disgrace to see a seasoned attorney like Messado fall from grace like this, especially with junior lawyers looking on. However, let her be the example, let her be the Bill Cosby. Hopefully this will serve as a warning to other lawyers and professionals who are not upholding the law to clean up their act and operate with integrity and honesty.