SHAWN Anthony Sinclair, facing a charge of obtaining money by false pretence, repaid $500,000 to the virtual complainant yesterday.

The defendant was then put on $100,000 and given until April 17 to repay the rest in a challenged car sale deal.

Before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson-Ogle, Sinclair, 28, of Lot 159 Damandeer Terrace, Prashad Nagar, Georgetown, pleaded not guilty to having, between November 7, 2008 and January 7, 2009, with intent to defraud, taken $1,700,000 from Olston Jardine, by falsely pretending that he was in a position to sell PKK 317.

Police Inspector Denise Griffith, prosecuting, said Sinclair bought the vehicle from Akbar Auto Sales through a hire purchase agreement for $3.4M and attempted to dispose of it to Jardine without first concluding the payment to the company.

Consequently, the Prosecutor said the car was not rightfully his when Sinclair sold it to Jardine.

But Defence Counsel Mark Waldron claimed the car was registered in the defendant’s name at the time of selling it.

The lawyer added that the matter had its genesis in a civil Court and he is surprised that the Police filed a criminal charge.

Waldron said Sinclair is not disputing that he received the cash from Jardine as the two parties have a hire purchase agreement and other documentation in place.

Waldron argued that the Police are being manipulated by the car dealer who use their “connections” to get someone charged.