A not guilty plea was not enough to prevent a man from being denied bail when he appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday, for allegedly robbing a woman of her cellular phone.

Osaka Gillespie of a Corporate Area address was remanded when he appeared before RM Judith Pusey on a charge of robbery with aggravation.

Allegations are that the accused man and other persons robbed the complainant of her BlackBerry phone valued at $45,000 in May last year. Gillespie, who was previously before the court on a similar charge, pleaded not guilty.

unable to afford lawyer

Gillespie who told the court that he is unable to afford a lawyer, said he was in Ocho Rios spending time with his mother for Mothers' Day during the time the phone was stolen.

The accused said he could bring his mother and other family members as witnesses to prove his innocence. He is to return to court on April 14.