Used car dealer to return to court in theft, money laundering case

The money laundering and theft trial of a used car dealer accused of stealing more than $42 000 from a customer and laundering the proceeds will resume in the No. 5A Supreme Court on March 31. 

Dwayne Omar Clarke of Warrens Crescent, St Michael has pleaded not guilty to stealing $18 000 belonging to Joy-Ann Mapp, the proceeds of a Republic Bank Limited cheque, made payable to MD Auto Sales between August 17, 2019 and July 6, 2021, and that he possessed the $18 000 being the proceeds of a crime and that he knew or had reasonable grounds to suspect that it was derived or realised directly or indirectly from theft between the same dates.

He has also denied that he stole $24 500 belonging to Mapp, the proceeds of a Republic Bank Limited cheque, made payable to Dwayne Clarke on February 4 and that on the same date he possessed the funds being the proceeds of a crime and that he knew or had reasonable grounds to suspect that it was derived or realised directly or indirectly from criminal conduct. 

Clarke is self-represented while Principal State Counsel Romario Straker, State Counsel Maya Kellman and State Counsel Eleazar Williams prosecute the case before Justice Christopher Birch.

(JB)