Manager admits to bribery

A former manager and trustee of a public healthcare provider and a charitable trust who accepted bribes pleaded guilty to fraud when he appeared in the High Court at Auckland yesterday.

Saul Roberts, a former asset manager for Te Ro¯opu¯ Taurima O Manukau Trust and trustee of Te Kawerau Iwi Tribal Authority, (Te Kawerau), was charged last year by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO).

While acting as a trustee at Te Kawerau in 2009, Roberts received a secret payment of $45,000 for withdrawing public submissions he had lodged on behalf of the trust in opposition to a proposed change to a district plan.

The company that made the payment was unaware that Roberts was acting without the knowledge of his employer.

In 2012, while employed by Te Ro¯opu¯, Roberts received secret commissions for contracting work to certain suppliers, including companies owned by his codefendant, Atish Narayan.

In return for Narayan’s payments, Roberts arranged for vehicles owned by Te Ro¯ opu¯ to be serviced or repaired at his firms.

Narayan earlier pleaded guilty to two charges under the Secret Commissions Act as well as one Crimes Act charge of obtaining by deception and was sentenced to six months’ home detention.

He was also ordered $14,000 in reparation.

SFO director Julie Read said: ‘‘Deliberate acts of fraud against a publicly funded health care provider and a charitable trust were are completely unacceptable and a matter of significant public concern.’’

Te Ro¯opu¯ cares for people with intellectual disabilities.

Roberts will be sentenced on February 27. to pay