Former Matthews Lane strongman 49-year-old Donald 'Zekes' Phipps and his common-law wife, 47-year-old Yvonne Sailsman, will be tried on June 28 for unlawful possession of $18 million.

They appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday.

The money was allegedly found during a raid carried out by the police at a house in Havendale, St Andrew, in May 2005.

Phipps, who is being represented by K. Churchill Neita, Q.C., is also charged with illegal possession of 26 rounds of ammunition and that case has also been set for June 28.

It is being alleged that the ammunition was found at a shop at Matthews Lane, downtown Kingston, in October 2004.

Phipps is now serving two life sentences for double murder and will not be eligible for parole until hehas served 30 years' imprisonment.

He was convicted in May last year of the murder of Rodney Leroy Farquharson and Dayton Williams, both of Bayshore Park, eastern Kingston. The badly burnt bodies, with gunshot wounds to the heads, were found in an open lot near Matthews Lane.

Phipps is appealing against his convictions and sentences.