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Former ADHB employee accused of taking a bribe for medical supplies

Author
Sam Hurley, NZ Herald,
Publish Date
Tue, 22 Mar 2022, 1:53pm
Two former Auckland District Health Board employees are now facing criminal charges in separate cases. Photo / File
Two former Auckland District Health Board employees are now facing criminal charges in separate cases. Photo / File

Former ADHB employee accused of taking a bribe for medical supplies

Author
Sam Hurley, NZ Herald,
Publish Date
Tue, 22 Mar 2022, 1:53pm

A former Auckland District Health Board (ADHB) employee and a company director have been accused of corruption in the procurement and supply of medical equipment. 

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) said today it has charged the ex-ADHB worker with corruptly accepting or obtaining a bribe, obtaining by deception and corrupt use of official information. 

They also face two charges under the Secret Commissions Act of acceptance of a gift by an agent. 

The director of a medical equipment supplier has been charged with corruption and bribery of an official. 

In a statement, the SFO alleges the former ADHB employee "abused their position for their own financial gain while procuring medical equipment". 

Court documents obtained by the Herald allege the 55-year-old employee illegally received over $210,000 in payments from the other defendant's company between 2008 and 2016. In addition, the employee was accused of illegally receiving $41,000 from another company between July 2012 and October 2013 and separate illegal gifts of $12,600 in 2012 and $15,000 in 2014. 

He is also accused of sending five emails to an overseas-based IT company between 2011 and 2014 that allegedly contained confidential ADHB information intended to give the company an edge in a bid with the organisation. 

Both the ex-ADHB employee and 76-year-old company director appeared at the Auckland District Court today and pleaded not guilty. 

They were also granted interim name suppression and are due to appear in court again in June. 

The SFO said it would not comment further while there were name suppression orders. 

Last year in a separate case, another former employee of the ADHB was charged with stealing more than $220,000 from the healthcare organisation. 

The woman, who also has interim name suppression, faces four charges of theft by a person in a special relationship and was due to appear in the Auckland District Court this afternoon. 

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