bank.

Chukwudi Onwusah, 33, of Hendon, England, entered the not guilty plea during the monthly Supreme Court arraignment session.

The alleged stealing offence took place between October 11, 1996 and February 3, 1997.

Onwusah also denied conspiring "with others not known or before the court'' to defraud the Bank of Bermuda of the $453,890.70 sometime between October 11, 1996 and January 30, 1997.

He was remanded in custody and will return to court on August 3.

A 32-year-old Hamilton Parish man was also arraigned in the Supreme Court yesterday on a series of drugs charges.

John William Hollis, of Kittys Lane, pleaded not guilty to importing cocaine and cannabis, possessing cocaine and cannabis intended for supply and handling cocaine and cannabis intended for supply on January 21.

Chief Justice Austin Ward granted Hollis bail in the sum of $5,000 with a surety in like sum to return to court for mention on August 3.

And two men refuted claims that they stole more than $70,000 worth of goods and set a fire which caused some $100,000 worth of damage.

John Jefferies, 23, and Arnett Dill, 43, both pleaded not guilty to three counts of break and enter, seven counts of receiving stolen property, two counts of wilful damage and a single count of arson.

All of the offences allegedly occurred sometime between December 10, 1997 and January 4, 1998.

The pair allegedly stole items including jewellery, cash, electronics and computer equipment from various stores and offices throughout the Island including Trimingham Brothers, the Club Med Hotel, the Regiment Headquarters and Audio Visual Electronics.

Randolph Lightbourne, of Devonshire, will stand trial on October 19 for his alleged part in the $70,000 hold-up at the Bank of Butterfield's Somerset branch on July 8, last year.