WESTERN BUREAU

A senior accounting clerk who is facing more than 54 counts of simple larceny and larceny as a servant charges was granted bail last Thursday when he appeared before the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court.

Formal charges were levelled against Damion Connell of Rose Hall, St James, and Bull Bay in St Andrew, following allegations that he had stolen $4 million from a prominent car dealership to which he had been employed for less than five months.

Granted bail

He was granted bail in the sum of $1m after the investigating officer informed the court that he could not interfere with the investigations currently under way.

Conditions attached to Connell's bail include the surrendering of his travel documents, a stop order imposed at all ports of exit and he was ordered to report to the Bull Bay police on Mon-days, Wednesdays and Fridays.

The investigating officer was given until November 6 to complete the case for a trial date to be set.

Allegations are that the accused man was given a code by his employers to carry out electronic banking, which involved the transfer of funds to the company's employees and other persons who have carried out legitimate business with the company.

However, it is alleged that Connell transferred money to persons who were neither employees nor asso-ciates of the company. Later, checks revealed the discrepancies and the police were called in to probe the matter.