friend on the day he was arrested for armed robbery.

And he claimed he only hid from sub-machine gun wielding Police officers because he thought they were after him for smoking marijuana.

"In no way, shape or form did we hide because of a bank robbery,'' said Michael Eugene Dillas.

Dillas made the denial in day nine of the Supreme Court trial against himself and Rupert Elroy Archibald.

Both men face charges of carrying and using firearms, and two counts of armed robbery in connection with the armed robbery of some $37,500 from the Bank of Bermuda in Somerset on April 9, last year.

Earlier in the trial, the nine-woman, three-man jury heard Dillas and Archibald allegedly fled the bank on a pair of motorcycles.

The Crown charges that the suspects then sped across the Great Sound in a rented Boston Whaler-type boat, but were followed to the Riddell's Bay area by Marine Police.

Numerous armed and unarmed Police officers then converged on Riddell's Bay Golf Course and eventually found Dillas and Archibald inside a wooded area.

According to Police reports, both Dillas and Archibald had wet clothing.

But yesterday, Dillas denied any connection with the incident.

The 32-year-old father of two said he hitched a ride to the West End area on April 9 in order to "smoke some herb'' and "read some scriptures'' with his long-time friend Archibald.

Dillas said they could not go to Archibald's home because he had told his girlfriend he would be working. Instead, the two men walked on to the Riddell's Bay Golf Course.

"We went over there by the water side,'' he said. "We talked for a little while, had a smoke, then decided to leave.'' But the men panicked as they were leaving the area because they heard Police sirens, Dillas continued.

He told his lawyer Victoria Pearman they believed someone had seen them smoking and alerted the authorities. They hid in bushes where Dillas threw away the drugs.

However, Crown counsel Patrick Doherty was unconvinced.

"This explanation that you came up with today is a feeble attempt to explain why you were in the bushes,'' he argued.

Mr. Doherty pointed out that according to Dillas' evidence, he ran from his original place toward the Police -- and not in the opposite direction.

"It makes absolutely no sense that you would run closer to the Police and hide just because you were smoking some marijuana,'' he said. "The reason you were hiding in the bushes is because you were trying to avoid detection for an armed robbery.'' But Dillas maintained he panicked and was simply trying to avoid being "harassed'' by the Police.

He also claimed neither his nor Archibald's clothes were wet.

Dillas also said Yusef Ameerbakka DeSilva -- who has admitted robbing the bank and last week identified the defendants as his accomplices -- fabricated his testimony.

"While I was at Westgate (Correctional Facility), DeSilva approached me and said he would use Mr. Archibald and me to get a deal with the Police,'' said Dillas. "And after the deal was made, he was going to tell the truth that me and Archibald had nothing to do with it.'' Earlier yesterday, a prosecution witness disclosed Police had arrested, but later released an alleged fourth robber.

Det. Sgt. Antoine Daniels said Travis Dill was arrested the day after the robbery after Police were made aware of Dill's alleged involvement by DeSilva.

But Det. Sgt. Daniels said Dill was released on bail after a few days because Police did not have sufficient evidence to press charges.

He reported to Police two weeks after being released, but authorities now know he is no longer on the Island, Det. Sgt. Daniels explained.

"We have some intelligence where he is,'' he added. "There are ongoing procedures to get him back to the Island to be tried.'' Today Archibald -- defended by lawyer Archibald Warner -- is expected to testify. Chief Justice Austin Ward is presiding.

Graphic file name: DILLASS Michael Eugene Dillas