Ex-council worker in bribery case

A former Auckland Council worker has been accused of accepting a bribe to guarantee a $150,000 business deal.

Appearing in the Auckland District Court for the first time yesterday, the man was charged by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) of corruptly accepting or obtaining a bribe for himself or another person.

It is alleged a cheque for $7500 by a 55-year-old business owner was used to bribe the then council worker.

The business owner is also facing one charge laid by the SFO under the Secret Commissions Act.

Both men were granted interim name suppression and remanded on bail when they appeared briefly before Judge Brooke Gibson.

The 41-year-old former council employee is also accused of inducing or causing another person to “deliver over, execute, make, accept, endorse or alter” the contract for a pecuniary advantage.

While with the council the worker was tasked with getting quotes for the supply of the goods, court papers read.

While doing this he allegedly prepared an anonymised price comparison spreadsheet missing material price data.

The council awarded the supply contract, relying on the details of the spreadsheet, the SFO alleges. The contract was valued at $152,520 and was varied to $140,150, allegedly as a result of the spreadsheet.

The two men will next appear in court on Friday when the secrecy of their names will be argued.

Auckland Council’s chief executive, Stephen Town, said it “has zero tolerance for bribery or any kind of illegal behaviour and takes any such allegations very seriously”.

“Despite our disappointment that a former employee of ours is now before the court, we are pleased to see that the tools we have in place to detect wrongdoing . . . enabled this to be brought to our attention,” Town said.