WESTERN BUREAU

A senior accounting clerk, accused of stealing more than $4 million from a prominent Montego Bay car dealership was denied bail in the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court on Wednesday.

Damion Connell of Rose Hall, St James, and Bull Bay, St Andrew, pleaded not guilty to charges of larceny as a servant and simple larceny.

Allegations are that he was given a code by the company to carry out electronic banking involving the transfer of funds to employees and customers. However, it is alleged that Connell transferred money to persons who were neither employees nor associates of the company.

It was revealed to the court that the charges before the court are in relation to a sum just under $100,000, but preliminary investigations reveal that more than $4m was missing.

Connell's attorney Arnold Brown said his client strongly denies the allegations, saying he was not the only employee who had access to the code mentioned.

In response to claims by the investigating officer that Connell's address was not confirmed as he was picked up in St Ann and not at any of the addresses he claimed to have lived, the attorney said that his client was not evading the police and is not a flight risk.

RM Winsome Henry denied the application for bail, stating that she would await further information to confirm the actual sum of money involved. Connell returns to court on September 17.