Clement Ebanks, a car dealer, who has been hauled before the court for fraudulent conversion of US$14,200 ($1,008,200) says he is innocent.

Ebanks was allegedly given money to purchase a Toyota Tacoma pickup in 2006, but the complainant is alleging that to date she has not received the vehicle.

The accused contends that the vehicle was imported but when he told the complainant and her party that the duty being charged was close to $1 million. He said she said she had no money to pay such a sum as she was expecting the total to be about $500,000, which was the first estimate given to them by Ebanks.

Ebanks said when the vehicle was purchased, he gave them the papers to pay the duties, however they did not. He said the duties were higher than projected because a 20 per cent duty concession that the complainant was expecting to help purchase the vehicle failed to come through.

Ebanks' attorney indicated that they could provide the court with copies of the papers that Ebanks gave to the complainant for the vehicle. The attorney also asked for bail for the accused, so he could get the documents.

When Senior Resident Magistrate Glen Brown made enquiries about what had happened to the vehicle, the attorney for the accused said it may have been auctioned.

RM Brown then set a mention date of September 4, for the accused to get copies of the papers for the court and also for the investigating officer to find out what had happened to the vehicle.

The accused was also granted $100,000 bail with surety. His fingerprints were also ordered taken.