The civil trial of a former Bank of Butterfield loan officer began in Magistrates' Court yesterday.

Sanford Edward Seepersad, 33, of Harrington Sound Road, Smith's Parish, is being pursued by his former employer to pay back funds owed to them after they had to reimburse bank client Aaron Foggo.

Early last year Seepersad pleaded guilty to stealing more than $3,200 from an elderly woman's account of whom he was the adminstrator. He admitted to transferring her monthly loan payments into his own account. Although he was charged with ten other counts of stealing, the late Crown counsel Dorien Taylor dropped them.

Mr. Foggo's account had been debited $8,821 by Seepersad over a period of time in 1998.

Magistrate Will Francis heard how several transactions were made without Mr. Foggo's permission from bank internal auditor Gloria Dill.

Ms Dill testified how bank officials became alerted to suspicious activity after an employee credit analysis showed transactions being made in the name of Shyleen Enterprises, a company owned by Seepersad at the time.

Ms. Dill testified that in one instance $321 was debited from Mr. Foggo's account and the next day $320.99 was debited from Shyleen Enterprises' account to pay various utility bills.

She further said that whenever Seepersad was questioned about unauthorised transactions his response was: "It had to be a bill."

Mr. Foggo was due to testify, but due to time constraints the trial was adjourned until June 7. Justin Williams appeared on the bank's behalf. Seepersad represented himself in court.