Ex-AT staffer and supplier found guilty over bribes

Friday 09 December 2016 11:27 AM

Ex-Auckland Transport staffer and supplier found guilty over $1M-plus bribes

By Sophie Boot

Dec. 9 (BusinessDesk) - Two men have been found guilty over more than $1 million of fraud at Rodney District Council and Auckland Transport.

Stephen James Borlase and Murray John Noone have been found guilty of corruption and bribery in the Auckland High Court today following a Serious Fraud Office investigation and prosecution. The fraud took place between 2005 and 2013.

While in senior management roles at Rodney District Council and Auckland Transport, Noone took undisclosed payments and gratuities, often in the form of travel, accommodation and entertainment, from Borlase, who was the director of Projenz, a supplier to Auckland Transport and Rodney District Council, the SFO said in a statement. The council was disestablished in 2010 and became part of Auckland Council.

Borlase faced eight charges of corruption and bribery, while Noone faced six. Borlase was found not guilty of four charges of dishonestly taking or using a document. The two will be sentenced in the Auckland High Court on Feb. 22, 2017.

"It appears that within the road maintenance division during this period the acceptance of gratuities was considered the norm." SFO director Julie Read said. "All of us need to recognise that corrupt activity is at risk of gaining momentum if business turns a blind eye. That sort of behaviour cannot be tolerated if we are to continue to promote New Zealand as a safe place to invest and do business."

In August, another defendant, Barrie Kenneth James George, was sentenced to 10 months home detention after pleading guilty to to two representative charges of accepting undisclosed payments totalling $103,580.

(BusinessDesk)

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