Weeks after she refused to compensate Onika Pompey $800,000, Lolita Callendar, popularly known as “Lola”, has opted to pay the monies to avoid being sent to prison again.
Pompey had requested the monies to fix her “edges” which were damaged by Callendar during a fight between them.
At a sentencing hearing this morning, Callendar, who told the court she had to sell her car due to financial constraints, and she will hand over $200,000 to Pompey within the next four weeks. Thereafter, other arrangements will be put in place by the court to ensure that the monies are paid in full.
Callendar’s lawyer had initially told the court that she could only afford to pay Pompey $100,000. Pompey however refused to accept that sum. Pompey told the court, “No, I am not willing to accept that. We both have friends in the same circle.” According to Pompey, Callendar had promoted a party for their friend “Seen Up” who was willing to lend her the monies to compensate her.
Callendar then responded, “I promoted the party for my friend because I have a large social media following. I only got $10,000 to promote the party.” An emotional Callendar then continued, “I am the sole provider for my three children. I had to sell my car because of my financial constraints and I’m now trying to build back my business.”
During this period, the Magistrate said that she will be monitoring Callendar’s behaviour on social media. The Magistrate’s exact words to Callendar was, “You slip you slide.”
Callendar then stated,” I am a changed person. I am not the same person I was a year ago. Being incarcerated taught me a lesson.”
The Magistrate then told her, “It seems as though incarceration changes you so I can do that again for you.”
Callendar is expected to make her next court appearance on February 21, 2020, to hand over the first part of the compensation. Also today, a probation officer told the court that Callendar is a mother of three and did not have an easy life growing up. The officer said that she was forced to drop out of school at an early age due to financial problems.
At 17, Callendar had her first child and was trapped in an abusive relationship for years, the probation officer told the court.
She then migrated to Tortola, BVI, where she married and got a child for her husband. After spending a few years in the British overseas territory, Callendar returned to Guyana and started up her own business, becoming a public figure and role model.
However, this fame came with her receiving hateful and negative comments from persons on social media including Pompey, a probation report revealed. This type of negativity and hate, the probation officer said, caused Callendar to feel rejected and depressed.
He added that due to some of the stuff that were mentioned to her by Pompey on social media, caused her to fight Pompey who was the aggressor.
As the officer read out the report to the court, Callendar stood with tears rolling down her cheeks .
Upon completion of the report, the Magistrate who seemed a bit upset, told Callendar, “What you told the probation officer is not necessarily true. You told the officer that Pompey was the aggressor that’s not true. I watched the video of the fight and you were the aggressor.”
The Magistrate added, “I gave you a chance to redeem yourself and you did not. Speak to your lawyer because you really don’t know what is facing you.”
On December 17, 2019, Callendar was found guilty of assaulting Pompey.
Callendar, 28, of Lot 231, East Ruimveldt Housing Scheme, had initially pleaded not guilty to the charge which alleged that on April 6, 2018, at Leopold Street, Georgetown, she caused grievous bodily harm to Pompey.
According to information, on the day question, Callendar and Pompey had a misunderstanding which resulted in a scuffle. It was reported that Pompey received lacerations about her body including several bites.
Last June, Callendar was sentenced to six months behind bars in BVI for falsifying her HIV test. She was recently released from prison. According to information received, in April last, the woman had a male take an HIV test under the name “Lolita Callendar.”
When the individual went to collect the results, he was in the company of the actual Lolita Callendar. At this point, the duo, upon collecting the results, informed the staff that they needed the “Male” to be replaced with “Female.”
This caused the staffers at the medical institute to call in the police and Callendar was arrested, charged and found guilty of the offense.
