Mensink appeal ‘fanciful and absurd’

FEDERAL Court judges have lambasted “fanciful” and “absurd” claims that fugitive Clive Mensink had no clue he was wanted for questioning over the collapse of Queensland Nickel, dismissing his attempt to appeal against arrest warrants.

Two warrants were issued for Mensink’s arrest last year after he refused to return to Australia for questioning over the refinery’s 2016 demise.

His lawyers have repeatedly asserted he was unaware of his Federal Court obligation.

But in a judgment handed down yesterday dismissing an appeal over the warrants, judges took aim at Mensink and his lawyer Sam Iskander saying affidavits filed with the court regarding contact had been “ambiguous and unsatisfactory”.

“It becomes farcical for Mr Mensink’s lawyers to have sufficient means of contact – which have clearly been effective in the past … but insufficient means of contacting Mr Mensink to inform him of the date for examination,” Justice Robert Bromwich said.