behind his trial for stealing $121,000 from his employer.

Calvin Shabazz said he couldn't believe he had been charged with theft, because the cash was his all the time.

And he bitterly denounced his treatment by the bank, where he was once a trusted assistant manager.

Shabazz, 44, of Ord Road, Warwick, was lent $310,000 by the bank in 1988 to bring his debts under control. It was paid into his current account.

One of the reasons for the loan, says the bank, was to pay off his mortgage of about $141,000 at L.P. Gutteridge. But the bank discovered only $20,000 of it was paid on the mortgage.

Shabazz admits "untidiness'' but denies stealing. "I still believe to this day that there was something sinister going on that brings this case,'' he told the jury.

"I've always kept my promises to them eventually and I would have never expected in my wildest dreams for them to doubt me. It hurts.

"I am having trouble being here discussing my personal business in public to defend something that I never would have believed would be considered a crime.

"I'm not that stupid, to engage in any kind of activity that would put my life not only on hold, but in jeopardy.

"If for one moment I thought the money in my current account was not mine it would have remained there, period.'' Shabazz said LPG and the bank were not concerned about the source of repayments as long as they got them.

He had plans at the time to pay off all his debts. These had included acting as a broker for "various projects''.

But his hopes of collecting $1.2 million for completion of commodity trades had not worked out.

"My only mistake in the whole scenario was that I counted my chicks before they hatched.'' He said his other interests around that time included private investigation and security, arranging concerts and boxing matches, excavating and trucking, and catering.

He had committed himself to setting up a new bank computer system, meaning he did not have enough time for these income sources.

He denied $40,000 of the loan went on a deposit on a house in Devonshire, saying he made the payment as part of a group of investors, who reimbursed him.

The court has heard the bank never received deeds to his house, requested as security for the 1988 loan. Shabazz said this had not been an issue, because he had anticipated being able to pay off the loan.

The bank recorded the purpose of loans to classify them, he said.