Magistrate Terence Forrest has refused to allow DPP request for 12-month delay in abuse of public office case against Masoud Rad

A MAGISTRATE has labelled a request by the Director of Public Prosecutions for a 12-month delay in a case against a driving testing officer charged with abusing public office as “extraordinary”.

Masoud Rad leaving the Elizabeth Magistrates Court. Picture: AAP/Keryn Stevens

A MAGISTRATE has labelled a request by the Director of Public Prosecutions for a 12-month delay in a case against a driving testing officer charged with abusing public office as “extraordinary”.

On Wednesday, authorised examiner Masoud Rad, 43, appeared in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court for the first time, charged with being a public officer who exercising power to secure a benefit.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Peter Finey sought a 12-month adjournment because handwritten witness statements needed to be formalised.

“Some of the offending was recorded on dash-cam and needs to be transcribed,” he told Magistrate Terence Forrest.

Counsel for Mr Rad had to clarify whether Sgt Finey meant “weeks or months”, to which he responded it was months.

“That’s extraordinary in my view,” Magistrate Forrest said.

“I’m not prepared to remand the matter for as long as that. On the face of it, it’s a serious charge.

“Mr Rad is subject to bail with some conditions which if he is innocent would amount to some hardship.

“It’s untenable that the Director of Public Prosecutions would seek as long as 12 months.”

In March, The Advertiser reported that SA law reforms had caused some criminal cases to be delayed by up to 14 months.

Lawyers, victims rights groups and police feared the new system was exacerbating, rather than solving, the courts’ chronic logjam of cases.

One of Mr Rad’s bail conditions was that he be banned from authorising drivers’ licences.

He told the court the long delay would impact his employment.

Magistrate Forrest adjourned the case until November.

In April, Mr Rad was arrested by SA Police’s anti-corrpution branch detectives, who allege he abused his position as an authorised examiner who tests candidates for driver’s licences.

Last December, driving testing officer Jawad Joe Dimachki pleaded guilty to abusing public office, accepting bribes and falsifying documents.

Dimachki admitted to abusing public office five times in June, July and August 2017 at Hazelwood Park and Broadview.

He also admitted accepting benefits on five occasions, last September, at North Adelaide, Firle and Kensington Gardens.