A Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) cashier was placed on $150,000 bail on Thursday, after pleading not guilty to charges of stealing over $600,000 from the revenue agency.

Tamayo De Mendonca, 29, of Lot 659 Congress Drive, South Ruimveldt Gardens pleaded not guilty to two counts of larceny by clerk or servant when he appeared before acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court. He denied that between September 11 and 30 last year, while employed as a clerk at the GRA, he stole $163,730 that he had received on behalf of the agency. He also denied that between October 15 and 30 last year, he stole $466,160 that he had received on behalf of the agency.

He was represented by attorney Adrian Thompson, who noted that De Mendonca had been employed at GRA for over five years as a ‘Clerk II.’ Further, he said that his client was only transferred last September to the shipping department, where he has since operated as a cashier.

Thompson went on to say that being a cashier in that department was new to his client and certain procedures for the recording of monies received by him on behalf of the GRA were unfamiliar to him. He noted that though his client knew nothing about the missing money he was blamed because several vouchers and receipts had also gone missing.

Thompson also stated that his client posed no risk of flight, that this was the first time he had ever been charged for something and will defend the matter.

De Mendonca is expected to make another court appearance on April 22 at Court Two.