IPED clerk on bail after denying theft charge

A clerk at the Institute of Private Enterprise Development (IPED) was yesterday charged with stealing from his workplace due to what his lawyer said was an oversight.

Mark Ageda, 44, of Friendship, East Coast Demerara, pleaded not guilty to the charge when he appeared in a city court accused of theft.

The police said that Ageda, on June 10th, being employed as a clerk/servant at IPED, stole $29,480 from his employer.

His attorney, Paul Fung-A-Fat, in submitting a bail application, said Ageda has been working at IPED for five years.

Ageda, the attorney said, acknowledged that he received the money mentioned in the charge and he issued a receipt for it but forgot to lodge the cash he collected.

Fung-A-Fat asked the magistrate to be lenient in granting bail, while he noted that the defendant has seven children to care for.

Bail was subsequently set at $50,000 and the case was adjourned until July 27th for report.