EON Havalcone also known as ‘DJ Moses’, implicated in the latest scandal at the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), has been charged with larceny by clerk.

The defendant, 32, of Lot 22 Triumph, East Coast Demerara, appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson yesterday and pleaded not guilty to the offence, particulars of which said, on January 5, being employed as a clerk there, he stole $976,146, property of GRA.

Defence Counsel James Bond said, during last year, Havalcone transported in excess of $1 billion for GRA and, in this case, the defendant was given the money to transport but realised the sum of $976,146 was missing.

Bond said the defendant went back to GRA to collect the remainder but, when he returned to the bank, it was already closed.

The lawyer said Havalcone was in constant contact with his supervisor who gave him permission to keep the cash at home.

Bond said Havalcone was surprised, the next day, to read in the newspapers that a cashier from GRA had disappeared with sums of money and immediately sent what he had back to GRA and reported for work the following day but was told to go home.

However, Police Inspector Stephen Telford, prosecuting, said returning the money did not change the offence and, while not objecting to bail for him, requested that the defendant lodge his passport and report to the Police on Thursdays.

The Prosecutor declared there is no way GRA will ever allow a clerk to take home that amount of money and, if it was not an offence, the defendant would not have been in Court.

According to the Prosecutor, Havalcone was given $5M to deposit at a bank and, after he left, his supervisor failed to make contact with him and, on going to the bank, discovered that $976,146 less had been deposited.

The Prosecutor said, further investigations were made by GRA officials before the defendant was arrested.

Havalcone lodged his passport with the Court and he was granted $200,000 bail until February 10.